:*      NOV   3  1911      ■■ 


DivisioQ    J3O^0(^ 

copy  i 


OUTLINE     STUDIES 
IN  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


WORKS    BY    PROF. 
W.  G.  MOOREHEAD 


11^  THE  Books 

OF  THE 

Old  Testament. 

i2mo,  cloth,  $1.50. 

"There  is  not  a  super- 
fluous sentence  in  the 
book." — The  Christian  In- 
structor. 

"The  style  is  clear  and 
simple,  so  that  the  meaning 
is  always  plain,  without  any 
mystification." —  Christ  ia7i 
Guardian. 

"It  puts  in  few  words  the 
best  results  of  careful  schol- 
arship."—  The  United  Pres- 
byterian. 

"The  results,  rather  than 
the  processes  of  scholar- 
ship are  given  in  the  text. 
The  record,  unburdened 
with  Greek  and  Hebrew, 
reads  smoothly,  and  will 
not  fail  to  be  enjoyed  by 
the  thoughtful  student." — 
Ziofi's  Herald, 

"This  is  a  most  valuable 
book  for  any  one  who 
wishes  a  safe,  scholarly, 
conservative  statement  as 
to  the  age,  authorship,  gen- 
eral circumstances,  mean- 
ing and  connection  of  each 
of  the  books  of  the  Old 
Testament." — Herald  and 
Presbyter. 


Stdxhes  ikt  the 

FOTJR  GrOSPELS. 

i2mo,  cloth,  net,  $1.00. 

•'To  assimilate  the  con- 
tents .  .  p  will  result  both 
in  intellectual  stimulus  and 
the  possession  of  much  val- 
uable teaching  material. 
They  are  not  intended  to 
be  skimmed,  but  to  be  pa- 
tiently thought  out." — To- 
ronto Teacher^  Monthly. 


STtrXJIES  IN  THE 

Mosaic 

iNSTITtmONS. 

i2mo,  cloth,  net,  $1.00, 

"One  of  the  most  valua- 
able  *^f  recent  additions  to 
the  libraries  of  Bible  stu- 
dents."  —  International 
Evangel. 

"Besides  being  a  valu- 
ble  treatise  on  the  religious 
rites  and  ceremonies  of  the 
ancient  Jews,  shows  the 
vital  connection  between 
them  and  the  truths  of 
Christianity  as  taught  in 
the  New  Testament. "  — 
Journal  and  Messenger, 


Fleming  EC.   Reveijii  Company 

PTJBLISHERS 


Outline    Studies 
In  the  New  Testament 


Philippians  to  Hebrews  ^;i^J^^^^ 

,*      NOV   3  1911 

WILLIAM  G.  MOOREHEAD 

Professor  in  Xenia  Theological  Seminary, 


**  Other  men  laboured,  and  ye  are  entered  into  their  labours,^* 


New  York  Chicago  Toronto 

Fleming  H.  Revell  Company 

London    and    Edinburgh 


Copyright,    1905,   by 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  6^  Washington  Street 
Toronto:  27  Richmond  Street,  W 
London:  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh:     100    Princes    Street 


Preface 

These  Outline  Studies  follow  the  same  general  plan 
of  the  author's  book  on  Acts  and  five  of  the  Epistles 
of  Paul.  The  chief  aim  has  been  to  point  out  briefly 
and  as  clearly  as  possible  what  is  conceived  to  be  the 
design  and  the  fundamental  truth  of  each  of  these 
inspired  letters.  Should  they  serve  in  any  degree  to 
open  to  the  student  of  God's  word  some  of  the  riches 
contained  in  these  Scriptures  none  will  rejoice  more 
than  the  writer. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  Studies  many  volumes 
have  been  consulted.  References  in  the  text  to  author- 
ities rand  books  are  scanty,  chiefly  because  it  seemed 
undesirable  to  burden  the  pages  with  them.  Suffice 
it  here  to  say  that  Commentaries,  Dictionaries  of  the 
Bible,  and  helps  of  various  kinds  have  been  freely  used. 

William  G.  Moorehead. 

Xenia  Theological  Seminary, 


Contents 


Epistle  to  the  Philippians 

9 

Analysis          .          .          .          . 

15 

Kenosis          .         .         .         . 

20 

Spiritual  History     . 

27 

Epistle  to  the  Colossians 

39 

Analysis         .          .          .          . 

48 

Christ's  Headship   . 

55 

Completeness  in  Christ     . 

64 

The  "  Heresy "      .          .          . 

66 

Epistles  to  the  Thessalonians  . 

•       79 

Doctrine 

.       87 

Analysis         .          .          .          . 

•       94 

Advent,  Resurrection 

.       96 

Man  of  Sin    . 

III 

The  Pastoral  Epistles      . 

•     125 

Analysis  of  i  Timothy     . 

•     140 

Analysis  of  2  Timothy     . 

■     144 

Analysis  of  Titus     . 

.     156 

Church  Organization 

.     158 

Epistle  to  Philemon 

.     167 

Epistle  to  the  Hebrews   . 

.     172 

Analysis  of  Hebrews 

.     176 

Five  Exhortations    . 

.     178 

Design  .... 

.     183 

Melchizedek  and  Aaronic  Priesthoo 

D 

.     208 

The  Two  Covenants 

.     220 

Offerings 

.     223 

Doctrine  of  Faith    . 

7 

.     236 

Chronological    Order    and  Summary  of 
Paul's  Epistles,  and  Hebrews 


Grouping  of  the  Epistles. 

Place  of  Writing, 

Summary  of 
Doctrine. 

I. 

I  and  2  Thessalonians. 

Corinth. 

Eschatology : 
Lord's  Second 
Coming,  Resurrec- 
tion, Rapture. 

II. 

Romans,   i  Corinthians, 
2  Corinthians,  Galatians. 

Corinth,  Ephesus, 
Macedonia. 

Soteriology : 
Justification,  Adop- 
tion, Sanctification, 
Life,  Worship. 

III. 

Ephesians,  Philippians, 
Colossians,  Philemon. 

Rome : 
First  Imprisonment. 

Christology : 

In  Christ,  Uke 

Christ,  Complete 

in  Christ. 

IV. 

I  Timothy,  2  Timothy, 
Titus. 

Release : 
Second  Imprison- 
ment,  Death. 

Ecclesiology : 
Pastor  and  People. 

Hebrews. 

Italy  (?). 

Christ  Apostle  and 

High  Priest  of  our 

Confession. 

Outline    Studies    in   the 
New  Testament 

THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS 

Christianity  was  first  introduced  into  eastern  Europe 
about  the  middle  of  the  first  century  by  the  Apostle 
Paul  and  his  companions,  Silas,  Timothy,  and  Luke 
(Acts  xvi).  It  was  at  Philippi  the  Gospel  won  its  first 
triumphs,  a  place  made  famous  by  the  decisive  battle 
between  the  Republican  and  Imperial  forces  of  Rome 
a  little  less  than  one  hundred  years  before.  Philippi 
was  a  Roman  colony  with  all  the  rights  and  immuni- 
ties that  pertained  to  the  capital  itself.  The  colonists 
were  Roman  citizens ;  the  ensigns  of  Roman  rule,  the 
S.  P.  Q.  R.  were  conspicuously  displayed ;  the  officials 
bore  the  Roman  titles  of  Praetors  and  Lictors  (Acts 
xvi:  20,  35,  38);  the  inhabitants  claimed  the  great 
name  of  Romans  (Acts  xvi :  21).  In  short,  the  colony 
was  a  miniature  of  the  imperial  city. 

The  circumstances  attending  the  planting  of  the 
church  in  Macedonia  were  extraordinary.  The  vision 
of  the  man  of  Macedonia  and  his  pathetic  call,  "  Come 
over  and  help  us  " ;  the  conversion  of  Lydia,  the  ex- 
orcism of  the  slave  girl,  the  arrest  of  Paul  and  Silas, 
the  dungeon,  the  midnight  earthc^uake,  and  the  con- 

9 


lO  OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

version  of  the  jailer — all  betoken  the  profound  interest 
that  the  Lord  had  in  the  august  movement.  The 
Powers  of  the  unseen  world  both  good  and  bad  con- 
fronted each  other  at  Philippi  and  both  manifested 
their  deep  concern  in  the  issue.  The  Spirit  of  God 
and  the  spirit  of  the  evil  one  here  contended  for  the 
mastery.  For,  in  a  very  vital  sense,  the  destiny  of 
Europe  was  involved  in  the  struggle  between  Chris- 
tianity and  heathenism  at  Philippi.  We  know  what 
the  issue  was,  and  rejoice  in  the  glorious  victory  there 
achieved. 

Of  all  the  churches  established  by  Paul's  ministry 
this  of  Philippi  seems  to  have  cherished  for  him  the 
most  tender  affection.  Its  membership  probably  was 
not  numerous,  and  certainly  it  was  very  poor  (2  Cor. 
viii :  1-3),  yet  it  cared  for  the  apostle  and  ministered 
to  his  wants  as  no  other  church  did.  Its  members  re- 
peatedly sent  personal  gifts  to  him,  as,  e.g.y  to  Corinth 
(2  Cor.  xi:  8,  9),  and  to  Thessalonica  (Phil,  iv:  16). 
When  they  learned  that  he  was  a  prisoner  at  Rome 
they  sent  one  of  their  members,  Epaphroditus,  with 
supplies  to  him.  The  contribution  no  doubt  was 
timely.  The  aged  servant  of  Christ  appears  to  have 
been  in  need  of  the  comforts  if  not  the  necessities  of 
life  (Phil,  ii:  25;  iv:  18,  19).  A  prisoner,  he  could 
not  supply  his  wants  with  his  own  hands  as  he  had 
been  wont  to  do,  nor  could  he  expect  aid  from  the 
Roman  Christians,  for  on  them  he  had  no  claim.  It  is 
doubtful  likewise  whether  he  ever  received  help  from 
churches  where  factions  against  himself  existed.  All 
the  more  grateful  to  him  therefore  must  have  been  the 


THE  EPISTLE   TO   THE   PHILIPPIANS  II 

generous  and  unsolicited  succour  which  came  to  him 
from  his  devoted  people  of  Philippi.  Out  of  a  heart 
glowing  with  love  and  thanksgiving  he  writes  them 
this  letter,  rejoicing  most  of  all  over  the  presence  of 
divine  grace  which  they  exhibited  and  the  self-sacrific- 
ing love  that  bound  them  to  himself.  How  pro- 
foundly he  was  touched  by  the  timely  gift  appears 
again  and  again  in  the  letter :  "  But  I  rejoice  in  the 
Lord  greatly,  that  now  at  length  ye  have  revived  your 
thought  for  me ;  wherein  ye  did  indeed  take  thought, 
but  ye  lacked  opportunity.  Howbeit  ye  did  well,  that 
ye  had  fellowship  with  my  affliction.  And  ye  your- 
selves also  know,  ye  Philippians,  that  in  the  beginning 
of  the  gospel,  when  I  departed  from  Macedonia,  no 
church  had  fellowship  with  me  in  the  matter  of  giving 
and  receiving,  but  ye  only.  But  I  have  all  things,  and 
abound  :  I  am  filled,  having  received  from  Epaphro- 
ditus  the  things  that  came  from  you,  an  odour  of  a 
sweet  smell,  a  sacrifice  acceptable,  well-pleasing  to 
God"(iv:  10-18,  r.  v).  It  must  have  sent  a  thrill  of 
gladness  into  the  responsive  hearts  of  these  noble 
Christians  that  they  should  thus  have  had  "  fellow- 
ship "  with  the  great  servant  of  Christ  in  his  "  afflic- 
tion." To  their  credit  and  their  love  stands  forever 
this  splendid  monument — the  joyful  recognition  of 
their  generosity  in  his  time  of  need  by  one  of  the 
noblest  and  purest  and  greatest  men  that  have  ever 
lived,  Paul  the  Apostle. 

Of  all  the  churches  to  which  he  writes  this  of 
Philippi  appears  to  have  been  freest  from  error.  If 
false  teachers  had  sought  to  seduce  them,  as  happened 


12  OUTLINE  STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

with  most  of  the  other  churches,  it  was  with  Httle  or 
no  result.  The  epistle  is  remarkable  for  being  almost 
entirely  devoid  of  censure  of  any  kind.  Their  faults, 
if  faults  they  had,  were  not  such  as  to  require  reproof 
in  this  letter.  The  word  sin  is  not  found  in  it.  What 
a  comfort  it  must  have  been  to  the  captive  apostle  that 
his  children  at  Phihppi  walked  in  the  truth,  and  re- 
membered him  ! 

A  characteristic  feature  of  the  epistle  is  the  spirit 
of  deep  and  fervent  joy  that  pervades  it.  It  is 
strangely  full  of  joy  even  in  the  midst  of  his  adversi- 
ties and  dangers,  hke  his  midnight  hymn  from  the 
depths  of  the  Philippian  dungeon.  In  most  of  his 
other  epistles  he  writes  with  a  sustained  effort  to  in- 
struct, to  correct,  to  recover  the  lapsed,  to  pour  out 
his  indignation  and  his  tears.  Through  them  all  a 
vein  of  sadness  runs.  In  them  we  get  glimpses  of  the 
sorrow  that  so  often  filled  his  soul,  the  loneliness 
he  suffered,  and  the  craving  for  sympathy  so  often 
denied  him.  But  here  all  that  is  forgotten,  or 
put  aside.  He  rises  sheer  above  his  troubles  and 
afflictions,  and  speaks  out  of  the  fullness  of  his  joy 
and  rest.  Who  that  bears  in  mind  the  apostle's  con- 
dition at  Rome  can  read  unmoved  of  his  continual 
prayers  on  behalf  of  these  saints,  his  sense  of  their 
uninterrupted  fellowship  with  him,  his  joyful  remem- 
brance of  their  past  course,  his  gladness  over  their 
present  state,  his  confidence  in  their  future,  his  eager- 
ness to  communicate  to  them  his  circumstances  and 
his  hopes  and  his  tender  yearning  to  see  them  ? 
Love,  vigilant  and  constant,  the  love  that  is  of  God 


THE  EPISTLE   TO   THE   PHILIPPIANS  1 3 

and  is  Christlike,  runs  like  a  golden  thread  through  it. 
There  is  no  undertone  of  mistrust  or  fear  or  grief,  as 
appears  in  most  of  the  other  epistles  of  this  remark- 
able man. 

And  then  the  forgetfulness  of  self  and  the  thought- 
fulness  of  their  comfort  and  peace,  not  his  own — how 
strangely  it  contrasts  with  the  mass  of  men.  It  re- 
minds us  of  the  Igve^ad  xare  of  Him  who  while  on 
the  cross  thought  of  His  enemies,  of  the  thief,  of  His 
mother,  of  His  disciples,  and  little  of  Himself.  Four- 
teen times  the  wSLXiJ^y  in  some  of  its  forms  occurs. 
Let  us  read  once  more  some  of  the  familiar  sentences : 
*'  I  thank  my  God  upon  every  remembrance  of  you, 
always  in  every  prayer  of  mine  for  you  all  making  re- 
quest with  joy,  for  your  fellowship  in  the  gospel  from 
the  first  day  until  now  "  ;  **  If  there  be  therefore  any 
consolation  in  Christ,  if  any  comfort  of  love,  if  any 
fellowship  of  the  Spirit,  if  any  compassions  and  mer- 
cies, fulfill  ye  my  joy — — "  ;  "Finally,  my  brethren,  re- 
joice in  the  Lord  "  ;  "  Therefore,  my  brethren,  dearly 
beloved  and  longed  for,  my  joy  and  crown,  so  stand 
fast  in  the  Lord,  my  dearly  beloved " ;  "  Rejoice  in 
the  Lord  alway ;  and  again  I  say.  Rejoice "  (i :  3-5  ; 
ii :  I,  2 ;  iii :  i ;  iv  :  i,  4).  It  is  the  epistle  of  Christian 
joy. 

Another  thing  worthy  of  note  in  the  epistle  is  the 
somewhat  prominent  place  given  to  women.  It  was 
"  a  man  of  Macedonia^^who  invited  the  apostle  to 
cross  into  Europe,  but  the  first  convert  was  a  woman, 
Lydia  of  Thyatira,  a  seller  of  purple.  The  incident  is 
significant.     It  is  a  sort  of  prophecy  of  what  the  Gos- 


14  OUTLINE  STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

pel  would  subsequently  accomplish  for  women  both  in 
Asia  and  Europe.  It  was  a  slave  girl  whom  Paul  de- 
livered from  the  "spirit  of  divination,"  a  demon  no 
doubt,  by  which  she  was  possessed.  Two  others  are 
mentioned,  Euodia  and  Syntyche,  whom  Paul  exhorts 
to  be  of  the  same  mind  in  the  Lord.  They  had 
laboured  with  him  in  the  Gospel,  and  obviously  were 
women  of  commanding  influence  at  Philippi  (iv :  2,  3). 
Woman's  position  was  socially  far  superior  in  Mace- 
donia to  that  held  by  women  of  Asia.  At  Thessa- 
lonica  and  Beroea  "  chief  women,"  and  "  Greek  women 
of  honourable  estate  "  received  the  good  tidings  which 
the  apostle  announced  (Acts  xvii :  4,  12).  They  seem 
to  have  enjoyed  a  liberty,  a  degree  of  independence 
to  which  those  of  Asia  Minor  were  largely  strangers. 

It  was  a  characteristic  feature  of  the  Macedonians 
generally.  Their  independence  and  love  of  liberty, 
their  tenacity  of  purpose  and  steadfastness  in  the  pres- 
ence of  disaster  and  defeat  were  remarkable.  Inferior 
to  the  pure  Greeks  in  language  and  culture,  they  were 
immensely  their  superiors  in  the  manly  virtues  and 
moral  qualities,  in  self-reliance  and  perseverance. 
They  were  the  Highlanders  of  Greece,  and  with  the 
highlanders  of  most  countries  they  possessed  the  limi- 
tations and  the  sturdy  strength  that  commonly  prevail 
among  such  people.  Lightfoot  describes  them  as  the 
Piedmontes  of  eastern  Europe,  and  does  not  hesitate 
to  affirm  that  "  they  had  that  peculiarly  English  virtue 
of  not  knowing  when  they  were  beaten  "  (Bib.  Es- 
says, 248).  The  national  trait  appears  even  in  the 
Christian  assemblies  gathered  in  Macedonia.     There  is 


THE  EPISTLE  TO   THE   PHILIPPIANS  1 5 

a  Stability  and  fidelity  distinguishing  the  Philippians 
and  Thessalonians,  an  unwavering  attachment  to  their 
beloved  apostle  that  contrasts  very  impressively  with 
the  fickleness  of  the  Galatians  and  the  turbulent  and 
factional  spirit  of  the  Corinthians.  How  profoundly 
Paul  was  touched  by  their  loyalty  to  him  this  epistle 
abundantly  attests. 

While  it  is  mainly  a  letter  of  thanksgiving,  in  which 
the  writer  pours  out  the  gladness  of  his  heart  without 
the  reserve  which  he  often  imposed  on  himself,  yet  it 
is  an  apostolic  writing,  and  is  filled  with  truth  which 
none  but  the  Spirit  of  God  could  reveal.  Being  a 
familiar  letter,  such  as  a  father  might  address  to  his 
children  or  a  pastor  to  his  flock,  it  does  not  lend  itself 
readily  to  analysis.  While  certain  features  are  quite 
prominent,  as  thanksgiving,  information  respecting  the 
apostle  himself,  exhortations  and  admonitions,  instruc- 
tions and  doctrinal  teachings,  yet  these  are  so  inter- 
woven and  so  frequently  overlap  one  another  as  to 
make  analysis  very  difficult,  if  not  almost  impossible. 
However,  some  features  are  discernible  that  may  help- 
fully be  set  out  in  analytical  form. 

I.     Analysis. 

1.  The  Greeting  (i :  i,  2).  The  epistle  is  addressed 
to  the  saints  at  Phihppi  with  the  "  bishops  and 
deacons." 

2.  Thanksgiving  (i :  3-1 1). 

{a)  Their  fellowship  in  the  gospel  (vs.  3-5). 
[b)  Their  perseverance  to  complete  redemp- 
tion (v.  6). 


1 6  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

(r)   Mutual  partakers  of  grace  and  love  (vs. 

7.8)- 
(d)  Prayer  for  abounding  love,  discernment, 

blamelessness,  and  fruits  of  righteousness 

(vs.  9- II). 

3.  Tidings  concerning  himself  (i :  12-26). 

{a)  His  imprisonment  serves  to  further  evan- 
gelization (vs.  12,  13). 

(b)  Stimulates  the  zeal  of  others  (v.  14). 

(c)  Two  kinds  of  preachers,  loving  and  envi- 
ous (vs.  15-17). 

(d)  His  joy  for  the  blessed  outcome(vs.  1 8-20). 

(e)  His  aim  in  Hfe  disclosed  (v.  21). 
(/)  His  perplexity  (vs.  22-24). 

i^g)  His  confidence  of  being  spared  to  them 
(vs.  25,  26). 

4.  Exhortation  touching  divers  duties  (i :  27-ii :  1 8). 

(a)  Steadfastness  and  courage  (i :  27-30). 
{b)  Unity  and  humility  (ii:  i-ii). 
{c)   Earnestness  and  zeal  in  developing  Chris- 
tian character  (ii.  12-18). 

5.  Tidings  concerning  Timothy  and  Epaphroditus 
(ii :  19-30). 

{a)  Timothy  to  be  sent  to  them  (v.  19). 
{b)  His  loyalty  commended  (vs.  20-23). 
{c)   Paul  hoping  to  visit  them  shortly  (v.  24). 
{d)  Epaphroditus'  sickness  and  recovery  (vs. 
25-27). 


THE    EPISTLE    TO    THE    PHILIPPIANS  1 7 

{e)   Sent  to  Philippi  with  high  commendation 

(vs.  28-30). 

6.  Important   instruction   and  urgent  exhortation 
(iii-iv :  9). 

{a)  What  Christians  should  do  and  be  (iii : 

1-3)- 
(b)    What  they  should  give  up  (vs.  4-6). 

{c)   How  they  may  do  it  (vs.  7-11). 

\d)  What  they  are  to  strive  after  (vs.  1 2-1 6). 

{e)   What  they  are  to  expect  (vs.  17-21). 

(/)  What  they  are  to  do  (iv.  1-9). 

7.  Paul's  joyful  recognition  of  their  kindness  to 
him  (iv:  10-23). 

Looking  back  over  the  epistle  four  main  principles 
are  clearly  discernible  : — 

1.  The  secret  of  a  Christian's  life,  viz.,  Christ  (i :  21). 

2.  The  prime  element  of  that  hfe,  viz.,  the  mind  of 
Christ  (ii:  5). 

3.  The  aim  and  object  of  the  life,  viz.,  Christlike- 
ness  (iii :  10). 

4.  The    motive-power    of   the   hfe,   viz.,    Christ's 
strength  (iv  :  1 3). 

Some  things  in  the  epistle  are  so  fundamental  and 
important  as  to  demand  a  fuller  examination  than 
could  be  given  them  in  an  analysis.  Accordingly, 
we  are  now  to  study  with  some  care  certain  features 
of  this  Scripture. 

I.     In  the  address  (i :  i,  2),  the  apostle  joins  to  the 


1 8  OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

greeting  of  "  all  the  saints  "  bishops  and  deacons. 
It  is  the  only  epistle  in  which  such  officers  of  the 
Christian  Church  are  introduced  into  the  address. 
Two  main  reasons  have  been  assigned  for  it ;  they  are 
specially  mentioned  because  probably  they  were  the 
official  agents  through  whom  the  gifts  had  been  sent 
to  the  apostle ;  or,  because  there  was  some  disposition 
in  the  church  to  ignore  the  ministry  and  to  assert  in- 
dividual independence  and  personal  action.  Of  the 
two  the  first  is  the  more  likely.  In  the  epistle  there 
is  little  evidence  of  a  factional  spirit  existing  in  the 
church  of  Phihppi ;  on  the  contrary,  its  tenor  be- 
tokens the  absence  of  internal  strife  of  any  sort  save 
in  the  instance  of  Euodia  and  Syntyche  (iv :  2,  3). 
The  title  "  bishop "  is  used  interchangeably  with 
"  elder,"  the  two  denoting  the  same  office  (Acts  xx  : 
17,  28  ;  I  Tim.  iii :  I,  2  ;  v  :  17  ;  Titus  i :  5-7).  *«  Grace 
and  peace  "  he  wishes  for  them  all.  It  is  the  invaria- 
ble order  of  the  words  in  all  Paul's  epistles.  Grace  is 
put  first  because  there  can  be  no  true  peace  without 
the  possession  of  God's  grace. 

2.  In  tidings  concerning  himself  (i  :  12-26)  the 
apostle  gives  most  interesting  information.  He  tells 
his  brethren  that  his  captivity,  so  far  from  being  a 
hindrance,  has  in  reality  proved  a  help  in  the  spread 
of  the  truth  for  which  he  suffered.  His  "  bonds  be- 
came manifest  throughout  the  whole  praetorian  guard 
and  to  all  the  rest."  No  doubt  he  preached  the 
gospel  to  his  guards,  and  these  in  turn  communicated 
it  to  their  fellow  soldiers  so  that  the  praetorium  heard 
something   of   the    good  news  of  salvation  through 


THE    EPISTLE    TO    THE    PHILIPPIANS  I9 

Christ.  It  is  not  easy  to  determine  just  what  is  meant 
by  the  Praetorium  (i :  13),  whether  the  imperial  guard 
or  the  imperial  Palace  guard.  If  taken  in  the  wider 
sense  as  seems  probable  from  Paul's  whole  statement, 
then  we  have  a  wide  area  indeed  through  which  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  had  penetrated.  For  ought  we 
know  to  the  contrary  Caesar's  household  itself  may 
have  heard  the  glad  tidings  as  iv :  22  intimates.  Ro- 
man Christians  were  stimulated  by  his  zeal  to  evangel- 
ize with  greater  vigour.  Courage  arouses  courage. 
Genuine  zeal  is  contagious.  Even  sectaries  and  self- 
seekers  preached  Christ.  And  amid  it  all  Paul  re- 
joiced. What  though  some  only  sought  to  add  to  his 
afflictions ;  if  Christ  was  magnified,  if  His  glorious  re- 
demption was  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  all  Rome, 
the  apostle  was  happy,  whether  he  lived  or  died.  He 
cherished  the  eager  expectation  of  being  set  free,  but 
with  either  alternative  he  would  be  perfectly  con- 
tented. Death  would  usher  him  into  the  bliss  of 
Christ's  presence,  and  that  would  be  infinite  gain. 
One  is  impressed  with  his  beautiful  submissiveness. 
Cheerfully,  uncomplainingly  he  waits  the  Master's  will, 
and  bides  His  time.  Such  a  frame  of  mind  is  pos- 
sible only  when  there  is  present  the  sublime  singleness 
of  purpose  which  ruled  the  apostle's  life — "  For  to  me 
to  live  is  Christ"  (i :  21). 

The  epistle  thus  affords  a  glimpse  of  the  apostle's 
activity.  He  was  as  diligent  in  his  Master's  cause  in 
the  Roman  imprisonment  as  when  enjoying  personal 
liberty,  though  of  course  restricted  in  his  movements. 
Acts  xxviii :  30,  31  records  his  unhindered  service  in 


20  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

the  gospel  for  two  years.  He  was  an  "  ambassador  in 
bonds  "  (Ep.  vi :  20),  but  still  an  ambassador.  From 
the  prison  epistles  we  learn  something  of  those  who 
were  associated  with  him  in  the  Roman  propaganda. 
Luke  and  Aristarchus  had  accompanied  him  from  the 
East  (Acts  xxvii :  2),  and  the  latter  Paul  describes  as 
"my  fellow  prisoner"  (Col.  iv :  10).  Epaphras  of 
Colossae,  Tychicus  of  Ephesus,  Mark  the  cousin  of 
Barnabas  (Col.  iv :  10,  r.  v.),  Onesimus  the  runaway 
slave  whom  Paul  had  begotten  in  his  "  bonds " 
(Phile.  10),  Epaphroditus  of  Philippi,  and  Timothy 
were  of  the  apostle's  company,  and  no  doubt  greatly 
contributed  to  the  spread  of  the  gospel  in  the  Imperial 
City.  With  such  a  band  of  devoted  men  gathered 
about  him,  men  who  knew  the  truth  as  witnessed  for 
by  Paul,  men  whose  fidelity  had  been  tried  by  the 
sharpest  tests  and  who  had  stood  firm  under  the  trial, 
it  is  not  surprising  that  the  glad  tidings  were  carried 
into  the  Praetorian  Guard  and  into  the  immense  Fami- 
lia  (household)  of  the  Emperor  himself. 

3.  A  remarkable  exhortation  is  found  in  i :  27-ii :  1 8. 
— The  sum  of  it  is  the  following:  he  urges  Christians  (i) 
to  steadfastness  and  courage ;  (2),  to  unity  and  humil- 
ity; (3),  to  earnestness  and  zeal  in  the  development  of 
Christian  character;  (4),  to  copy  the  wondrous  ex- 
ample of  Christ  in  lowliness  and  obedience. 

"  Let  this  mind  be  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  exhorts  the  apostle.  And  he  proceeds  to  ex- 
plain what  he  means  by  "  this  mind  "  ;  "  who,  being 
in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal 
with  God — (counted  it  not  a  prize  to  be  on  an  equality 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   PHILIPPIANS  21 

with  God,  R.  v.),  but  made  Himself  ot  no  reputation 
and  took  upon  Him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was 
made  in  the  hkeness  of  men :  and  being  found  in 
fashion  as  a  man,  He  humbled  Himself,  and  became 
obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross."  The 
voluntary  humiliation  of  Jesus  Christ  is  the  most  illus- 
trious example  of  self-renunciation  that  even  the  in- 
spired Paul  could  furnish.  The  introduction  of  this 
most  difficult  and  profound  subject  is  in  no  wise 
polemical.  Nor  is  it  intended  to  be  a  formal  and 
dogmatic  definition  of  the  nature  or  the  design  of 
the  Lord's  incarnation.  It  is  to  the  spirit  and  depth 
of  His  abasement  that  the  apostle  appeals.  In  this  as 
in  every  other  imitable  example  Christ  furnishes  the 
highest  of  all  models  of  self-denial. 

On  this  profound  and  mysterious  passage  is  founded 
what  is  called  Christ's  Kenosis.  The  term  means 
emptying,  and  is  derived  from  verse  7,  "  but  emptied 
Himself"  (k.  v.).  The  view  now  held  by  many  as  to 
Christ's  humiliation  is,  that  He  laid  aside  His  Divine 
attributes  at  His  incarnation  and  entered  the  sphere 
of  the  finite  as  an  unconscious  babe ;  that  He  volun- 
tarily surrendered  His  powers  as  the  Son  of  God ;  that 
He  thought  and  spoke  as  a  man  and  merely  as  a  man 
during  the  whole  period  of  His  humiliation.  Some 
go  so  far  as  to  affirm  that  while  these  self-imposed 
limitations  lasted,  there  were  many  things  He  did  not 
know  and  could  not  know.  The  late  Adolph  Saphir 
expressed  thus  the  modern  view  of  the  Kenosis : 
"  Things  are  now  said  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  by 
men  within  the  Evangelical  Churches  that  the  older 


22  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

Socinians  would  not  have  dared  nor  wished  to  say." 
A  thorough  examination  of  the  passage  would  require 
a  treatise ;  no  more  can  be  done  here  than  to  give 
what  is  firmly  believed  to  be  Paul's  meaning. 

The  termini  which  the  Apostle  sets  to  the  mys- 
terious transaction  in  Christ's  humiliation  are — (i) 
"  The  form  of  God,"  and  "  equality  with  God,"  (2) 
and  "  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of 
the  cross."  How  wide  apart  these  termini  are  none 
can  fail  to  see.  The  extent  of  the  Lord's  self-abase- 
ment is  measured  by  the  distance  between  His  equality 
with  God  and  His  public  execution  on  the  cross  as  a 
condemned  malefactor.  Clirist  subsisted  in  the  "  form 
of  God,"  Paul  asserts.  While  form  is  not  identical 
with  nature  or  essence,  it  nevertheless  imphes  and  in- 
volves the  possession  of  the  Divine  Essence.  Dr.  Gifford 
has  shown  that  form  in  this  place  is  inseparable  from 
the  Divine  nature.  In  the  contrastive  phrase,  "  form 
of  a  servant,"  there  is  implied  the  assumption  of 
human  nature,  and  its  outward  lowly  garb  of  servi- 
tude. Now  this  "  Form  of  God  "  the  Lord  could  not  lay 
aside  without  ceasing  to  be  God.  This,  we  believe. 
He  did  not  do.  Is  it  possible  for  God  to  cease  to  be  ? 
That  is  unthinkable.  But  we  are  further  told  that  He 
"  counted  not  the  being  on  an  equality  with  God  a 
thing  to  be  grasped."  It  was  this  equality  with  God 
of  which  He  emptied  Himself,  as  the  Synod  of 
Antioch  (a.  d,  269)  expressly  interprets, —  "  On  which 
account  the  same  God  and  man  Jesus  Christ  in  all  the 
church  under  heaven  has  been  believed  in  as  God 
having  emptied  Himself  from  being  on  an  equahty  with 


THE    EPISTLE    TO    THE    PHILIPPIANS  2$ 

God,  and  as  man  of  the  seed  of  David  according  to  the 
flesh"  (quoted  from  Gifford's  •'  Incarnation,"  pp.  73-4). 
We  conceive  the  teaching  of  the  passage  to  be  this  : 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  who  subsisted  in  the  form  of 
God  and  was  and  is  essentially  Himself  God,  and  who 
subsisted  on  an  equality  with  God  esteemed  His  equal- 
ity with  God  not  a  thing  to  be  grasped  and  retained ; 
He  surrendered  it;  He  emptied  Himself  of  it.  The 
two  expressions,  beyond  any  reasonable  doubt  what- 
ever, clearly  reveal  Paul's  profound  belief  in  the  eternal 
and  essential  Deity  of  Christ.  Taken  together  the 
two  statements,  "  form  of  God,"  and  "  equality  with 
God,"  teach  that  Christ  preexisted  in  the  form  of 
God  and  was  God's  equal,  therefore  Himself  God. 
The  supreme  glory  was  His,  it  belonged  to  Him 
equally  with  the  Father.  To  it  He  refers  when  He 
speaks  of  the  glory  He  had  with  the  Father  before  the 
world  was  (John  xvii  15).  In  John  viii :  58  Jesus  says, 
•*  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am."  The  antithesis  between 
the  terms  "  was  "  and  **  am  "  is  as  strong  and  sharp  as 
it  can  well  be.  There  was  a  time  when  Abraham  was 
not;  there  never  was  a  time  when  the  Son  of  God 
was  not.  But  His  words  involve  far  more  than 
priority  of  existence.  If  Jesus  meant  no  more  than 
that  He  existed  before  Abraham,  He  would  have  said, 
**  Before  Abraham  was,  I  was."  But  this  He  does 
not  say.  His  "  I  am  "  goes  infinitely  deeper ;  it  con- 
nects Him,  nay,  identifies  Him  with  the  august  title  of 
Jehovah  Himself,  •'  I  am  that  I  am  "  (Ex.  iii :  14).  John 
xvi :  28  is  an  epitome  of  the  doctrine  of  His  person  and 
mission,  "  I  came  forth  from  the  Father,  and  am  come 


24  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

into  the  world  :  again,  I  leave  the  world,  and  go  unto 
the  Father."  From  God,  into  the  world,  back  to  God  ; 
preexistence,  incarnation,  glorification  ;  oneness  with 
the  Father,  procession  from  the  Father,  redemption 
wrought,  exaltation  ensuing. 

The  extent  to  which  He  humbled  Himself  is  dis- 
closed in  the  significant  phrases,  "  form  of  a  servant," 
"  likeness  of  men,"  '*  fashion  as  a  man."  These  presup- 
pose His  former  dignity  and  glory.  Underlying  them  is 
the  majestic  truth  that  antecedently  He  was  immeasur- 
ably more  and  different.  Had  He  not  been  God  in  His 
own  being  and  title  it  would  have  been  no  humiliation 
to  be  a  servant ;  that  He  was  already.  If  the  Lord  were 
only  a  creature,  no  matter  how  high  His  rank  in  the 
scale  of  being.  He  was  a  servant,  and  nothing  more. 
The  highest  creature  in  heaven,  far  from  having  to 
stoop  in  order  to  become  a  servant,  can  never  rise 
above  that  condition.  But  Jesus  must  humble  Him- 
self to  become  a  servant,  must  take  the  lowly  form  of 
man,  and  go  down  even  to  death  if  God's  glory  is  to 
be  retrieved  and  His  love  find  free  access  to  our  lost 
race. 

During  the  whole  period  of  Christ's  humiliation  His 
essential  glory  was  veiled  so  completely  that  there  was 
nothing  in  His  outward  appearance  to  indicate  His 
exalted  rank.  He  said  after  Peter's  splendid  confession 
of  Him  as  the  Christ  the  Son  of  the  Living  God, 
"  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  Bar-Jonah :  for  flesh  and 
blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  My  Father 
which  is  in  heaven"  (Matt,  xvi  117);  i.  e.,  a  true  knowl- 
edge of  His  mysterious   personality  was  a  matter  of 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    PHILIPPIANS  2$ 

revelation,  not  of  sense  perception  in  any  wise.  His 
advent  was  a  birth,  not  a  Theophany.  As  Jehovah 
He  did  not  "  bow  the  heavens  and  come  down  "  ;  He 
was  "  made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  to  re- 
deem them  which  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might 
receive  the  adoption  of  sons  "  (Gal.  iv :  4). 

And  yet  there  is  clear  evidence  that  during  the 
whole  period  of  His  humiliation  His  sovereign  attri- 
butes as  the  Son  of  God  and  as  the  equal  of  God  were 
neither  abdicated  nor  suspended.  "  His  self-emptying 
was  not  self-extinction,  nor  was  the  divine  Being 
changed  into  a  mere  man.  In  His  humanity  He  re- 
tained the  consciousness  of  deity,  and  in  His  incarnate 
state  carried  out  the  mind  which  animated  Him  before 
His  incarnation"  (Vincent).  Throughout  the  Gospel 
records  there  are  gleams  of  His  superhuman  knowledge 
and  the  possession  of  almighty  power.  He  knew  men 
as  no  human  may  know  his  fellow  (John  ii :  24,  25). 
He  knew  the  world  of  departed  spirits  as  no  mortal 
can  know  it  (Luke  xvi :  19-31).  He  knew  the  eternal 
Father  as  no  creature  can  know  Him  (Matt,  xi :  27). 
His  power  embraced  the  mastery  over  men,  over  sick- 
ness, over  death,  over  demons,  and  over  His  own  life 
(John  x:i7,  18).  Thus  during  His  voluntary  self- 
abasement  He  possessed  and  exercised  when  occasion 
demanded  the  divine  attributes  of  omniscience  and  om- 
nipotence. Nevertheless,  "  He  emptied  Himself,  He 
humbled  Himself."  This  was  the  mind  that  was  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

As  the  reward  of  His  perfect  obedience  Christ  was 
exalted   to   supreme    authority  and  dignity  (cf.  Acts 


26  OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

ii :  33).  It  is  the  august  promotion  He  received  when 
He  had  brought  His  great  work  of  redemption  to  a 
final  and  triumphant  conclusion.  *'  Wherefore,  God 
hath  highly  exalted  Him,  and  given  Him  a  name  that  is 
above  every  name,"  etc.  Subjection  to  Him  there 
must  and  shall  be,  but  subjection  is  not  reconciliation, 
bowing  the  knee  to  Him,  as  all  must  at  length,  is  not 
the  salvation  of  all.  Christ  shall  be  supreme  in  all  the 
universe,  and  all  things  must  bow  beneath  His  sov- 
ereign authority. 

Paul  urges  earnestness  and  zeal  in  the  development 
of  Christian  character.  We  are  to  work  out  what  God 
by  His  Spirit  has  already  worked  in.  He  imparts  the 
power  to  will  and  to  do,  we  are  to  unfold  the  new  life 
implanted  in  our  hearts.  But  God  superintends  and 
rules  in  it  still,  "  he  that  hath  begun  a  good  work  in 
you  will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ "  (i :  6). 
He  does  not  start  us  in  the  new  life,  then  leave  us  to 
go  on  and  get  on  as  best  we  may.  All  through  the 
dangerous  journey  till  heaven  is  safely  reached  He 
presides  and  guides  and  aids  and  shields,  making  all 
things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  Him. 
The  salvation  we  are  to  work  out  is  intensely  personal, 
'*  your  own."  In  the  central  deeps  of  our  being  we 
live  alone.  One  alone  can  fully  understand  us  and  ef- 
ficiently help  us — God ;  and  He  is  pledged  to  work 
together  with  us  for  the  same  blessed  end.  The  spirit 
in  which  it  is  wrought  is  one  of  self-distrust ;  "  with 
fear  and  trembling '"  it  is  to  be  worked  out.  So  doing^ 
Christians  become  luminaries  to  those  who  sit  in  dark- 
ness, light-bearers  and  life  holders. 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    PHILIPPIANS  2/ 

4.  Paul's  spiritual  history  (iii-iv  :  i). — It  is  certainly 
a  very  remarkable  one.  And  yet  it  is  not  exclusively 
his  own  save  in  its  intensity  and  its  vivid  contrasts. 
To  a  degree  it  is  the  experience  of  all  Christians,  for 
the  history  of  the  apostle's  life  as  here  briefly  summed 
up  is  that  of  all  the  saved.  His  renunciation  of  what 
men  most  prize,  his  apprehension  of  something  immeas- 
urably nobler  and  better  than  the  world  can  give,  his 
eager  yearning  after  the  realization  of  a  perfect  ideal,  a 
cherished  hope,  and  his  assurance  that  in  due  time  it 
would  be  his  in  the  deepest  and  truest  sense,  is  like- 
wise the  life  of  every  believer.  He,  too,  lets  go  that 
he  may  grasp,  gives  up  that  he  may  win,  refuses  to 
look  back  that  he  may  be  filled  and  thrilled  with  what 
lies  before.  "  Spiritual  onwardness  "  was  Paul's  motto ; 
it  is  no  less  that  of  every  follower  of  Christ.  But  in 
the  meantime  vigilance  must  not  be  relaxed,  for  perils 
lurk  on  every  side.  Hence  the  apostle  warns — "  Be- 
ware of  dogs,  beware  of  evil  workers,  beware  of  the 
concision  "  (v.  2).  The  danger  was  possible  and  even 
probable,  but  not  actual  in  the  case  of  these  saints. 
The  warning  is  levelled  against  the  implacable  foes  of 
the  apostolic  church,  the  Judaizers.  Like  masterless 
and  savage  prowlers  the  presence  of  the  Judaizers  al- 
ways meant  mischief ;  their  work  was  only  evil ;  and 
their  proud  boast  a  lifeless  formalism.  Like  three  peals 
of  a  trumpet  ring  the  thrice-repeated  word,  "  beware !  " 
In  the  first  clause  we  have  their  character,  in  the  sec- 
ond their  conduct,  in  the  third,  their_creed. 

There  are  five  noteworthy  things  made  prominent  in 
this  chapter. 


28  OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

I.  A  great  description  (v.  3). — "  For  we  are  the 
circumcision,  which  worship  in  the  spirit,  and  rejoice 
in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh." 
It  is  the  description  of  a  Christian,  and  it  consists  of 
four  parts,  (i)  Christians  are  now  the  true  circum- 
cision (Rom.  ii :  28,  29 ;  Col.  ii  :  1 1).  Theirs  is  a  spir- 
itual seal.  All  that  the  ancient  Abrahamic  rite  signi- 
fied and  typified  they  enjoy,  y- They  are  Abraham's 
children  and  are  blessed  with  believing  Abraham  (Gal. 
iii  19,  14,  29).  They  are  those  of  whom  the  Lord 
Jesus  prophesied  when  He  said  to  the  unbeHeving 
Hebrews,  "  The  kingdom  of  God  shall  be  taken  from 
you,  and  given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits 
thereof"  (Matt.  xxi:43).  These  are  they  who  in  the 
strange  ways  of  the  Lord  are  substituted  for  fallen 
Israel,  and  who  are  become  Abraham's  heirs  and  who 
are  lifted  into  a  place  of  privilege  and  blessing  such  as 
Israel  never  held.*  (2)  They  are  spiritual  worshippers 
— "  worship  by  the  Spirit  of  God  "  (r.  v).  The  Mosaic 
worship,  properly  speaking,  could  be  celebrated  only 
at  one  place  and  according  to  a  prescribed  ritual. 
Christian  worship  may  be  presented  anywhere  and  at 
any  time,  in  a  hut  or  a  cathedral.  If  prompted  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  the  songs  of  the  saints,  their  prayers  and 
thanksgivings,  and  their  instructions  and  exhortations 
are  acceptable  and  well-pleasing  to  God.  The  music 
may  be  anything  but  artistic  (and  all  the  better  if  so), 
their  rhetoric  faulty  and  their  teaching  biblical  ex- 
clusively, as  it  should  be ;  nevertheless,  touched  by  the 
Spirit,  the  worship  is  spiritual.  (3)  They  "  rejoice  in 
Christ   Jesus."      They  know  Him   as   their   Prophet 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    PHILIPPIANS  29 

who  reveals  the  love  and  saving  power  of  God 
for  their  redemption ;  as  their  Priest  who  atones  for 
them  and  reconciles  them  to  God ;  as  their  King  who 
protects  and  delivers  them.  They  glory  in  Christ ;  in 
His  birth  and  its  wonders ;  in  His  life  and  its  bless- 
ings; in  His  death  and  its  benefits;  in  His  ascension  and 
its  pledges ;  in  His  return  and  its  stupendous  results. 
Not  in  themselves,  nor  of  themselves,  nor  of  their  faith, 
much  less  of  their  works,  do  they  glory ;  their  sole 
cause  and  object  of  glory  is  Christ. .,  (4)  They  have 
"  no  confidence  in  the  flesh,"  neither  in  their  own  nor 
in  anybody's  else.  No  matter  what  proud  boast  hu- 
man nature  may  utter  or  cherish,  they  know  full  well 
that  in  the  storm  and  stress  which  come  into  every  life 
"  the  flesh "  is  always  defeated.  Self-distrust  is  char- 
acteristic of  true  Christians. 

2.  The  great  renunciation  (vs.  5-7). — Here  is  a  re- 
markable cluster  of  high  privileges,  as  men  count 
them.  Saul  could  boast  of  superior  advantages  and 
attainments.  He  was  a  Jew  of  pure  extraction.  No 
alien  blood  flowed  in  his  veins.  He  could  trace  his 
lineage  to  Benjamin,  the  beloved  son  of  Rachel,  and 
to  Abraham  the  illustrious  father  of  the  Hebrew  race. 
His  creed  was  as  sound  as  his  pedigree.  He  was  an 
orthodox  Pharisee.  No  Sadducean  skepticism  had  a 
place  in  it ;  no  rationalism  was  tolerated  for  an  in- 
stant. He  defended  with  all  his  might  every  tenet  of 
strict  Judaism,  and  persecuted  all  who  received  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  as  the  Messiah.  His  legal  righteousness 
was  irreproachable,  none  could  bring  a  charge  against 
him  as  a  violator  of  the  letter  of  the  law.     Whatever 


30  OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

confidence  in  the  flesh  others  might  vaunt  Paul  could 
surpass  them,  "  I  more."  Pride  lies  at  the  bottom  of 
this  confidence.  A  Puritan  sums  up  all  pride  under 
four  heads : 

"  Pride  of  race. 
Pride  of  place, 
Pride  of  face,  » 

Pride  of  grace ." 

Boastful  confidence  in  the  flesh  includes  the  four ; 
Paul  could  claim  three  of  them  as  conspicuously  his. 
He  had  the  distinction  of  race  and  place  and  creed. 
Some  doubt  may  be  raised  as  to  the  fourth,  his  physical 
attractions.  His  detractors  at  Corinth  described  his 
"  bodily  presence  "  as  "  weak,"  i.  e.,  wanting  in  manli- 
ness and  dignity,  and  his  speech  "  of  no  account," 
either  in  matter  or  manner,  perhaps  in  both  (2  Cor. 
x:io).  In  the  apocryphal  Acts  of  Paul  and  TheclUy 
which  Professor  Ramsay  holds  goes  "  back  ultimately  to 
a  document  of  the  first  century,"  there  is  a  plain  unflat- 
tering description  of  the  apostle  that  is  worth  repro- 
ducing here,  for  some  striking  traits  in  it : — "  Bald- 
headed,  bow-legged,  strongly  built,  a  man  small  in  size, 
with  meeting  eyebrows,  with  a  rather  large  nose,  full 
of  grace,  for  at  times  he  looked  like  a  man  and  at 
times  he  had  the  face  of  an  angel."  This  is  perhaps 
the  oldest  pen  picture  of  the  apostle  on  record. 

But  the  things  that  men  prize,  and  to  which  they 
cling  with  utmost  tenacity  Paul  renounced.  Pedigree, 
station,  wealth,  orthodox  reputation — things  of  gain 
in  the  world — were  repudiated,  counted  "  loss."     All 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE   PHILIPPIANS  3 1 

his  advantages  of  birth,  privilege,  blameless ness  of 
character,  zeal  and  earnestness  were  reckoned  profit- 
less. When  he  won  he  was  losing ;  the  more  he  won 
of  such  things  the  more  he  lost,  for  Christ  was  thereby 
obscured  and  ignored.  His  gain  was  his  loss,  but  his 
loss  became  at  length  his  eternal  and  infinite  gain. 
He  "  won  Christ." 

3.  A  great  acquisition  (vs.  8-1 1). — Here  is  a  very 
cluster  of  possessions  which  Paul  received  in  exchange 
for  the  things  he  renounced.  The  surpassing  worth 
of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus,  union  with  Him  who 
is  the  Lord  of  the  worlds  and  the  ages,  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  in  the  stead  of  that  which  is  of  the  law 
and  worthless,  partnership  with  Christ  in  His  suffer- 
ings, death,  and  resurrection,  and  a  part  in  that 
glorious  rising  that  peculiarly  belongs  to  the  saints  of 
God.  Gaining  all  this  by  the  great  renunciation, 
coming  into  ownership  of  all  the  heart  craves,  the 
mind  conceives, — who  would  not  say  with  Paul,  «'  I 
count "  all  else  but  garbage,  refuse,  '*  dog's  meat "  ? 
The  language  of  verse  1 1  is  very  precise  and  emphatic. 
A  hteral  translation  of  it  is,  "  if  by  any  means  I  may 
attain  unto  the  out-resurrection  which  is  from  the 
dead."  It  is  not  a  spiritual  rising  that  is  meant,  as 
some  strangely  think,  but  participation  in  the  glorious 
resurrection  of  the  righteous — a  resurrection  totally 
distinct  from  that  of  the  wicked  both  in  character  and 
time.  His  "  if  by  any  means  "  does  not  imply  doubt 
or  uncertainty  so  much  as  eagerness  and  yearning  to 
have  his  part  in  it,  just  as  his  earnest  striving  to  win 
the   prize   of    the  high    calling  (vs.    13,    14)  and   the 


// 


32  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

Stern  discipline  of  his  body  that  he  might  not  become 
a  castaway  (i  Cor.  ix :  27)  betoken  uncompromising 
zeal  and  tenacity  of  purpose.  If  there  be  but  one 
general  and  simultaneous  resurrection  for  the  dead, 
righteous  and  wicked  alike,  then  Paul's  longing  for 
the  out-resurrection  becomes  inexpHcable  or  absurd. 
Obviously  he  expected  one  apart  from  the  unright- 
eous, one  that  the  Lord  describes  as  "  the  resurrection 
of  the  just  "  (Luke  xiv  114),  and  for  it  he  yearned  with 
intense  desire.  It  is  the  '•  better  resurrection  "  (Heb. 
xi :  35),  the  *'  first  resurrection  "  (Rev.  xx:  5),  that  he 
seeks  to  attain.  And  to  attain  it  he  reckons  all  else 
as  refuse. 

The  supreme  worth  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
Jesus  outweighs  and  outbids  everything  beside.  It 
is  not  simply  that  the  scale  dips.  It  is  that  the  weight 
on  the  other  side  is  not  felt.  When  Paul  has  come  to 
know  Christ  and  is  found  in  Him,  he  can  joyfully  affix 
the  minus  sign  to  all  other  things.  For  Christ  is  the 
"  chiefest  among  ten  thousand  :  yea,  He  is  altogether 
lovely."  "  None  but  Christ,  none  but  Christ,"  said 
Lambert  as  he  lifted  what  remained  of  his  hands  in 
the  martyr  flames.  To  know  Him,  to  be  in  Him,  to 
be  like  Him,  to  be  glorified  with  Him — what  else  and 
what  more  can  one  wish  ? 

4.  A  great  aspiration  (vs.  12-14). — The  apostle 
has  not  attained  the  majestic  end  for  which  Christ  had 
seized  him.  He  is  not  yet  made  perfect.  Defect  and 
incompleteness  attach  to  his  character.  More  than 
a  quarter  of  a  century  had  passed  since  the  Saviour 
had  arrested  him  and   claimed  him   for  Himself,  and 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE    PHILIPPIANS  33 

used  him  for  His  purpose.  In  the  meantime  extraor- 
dinary experiences  had  been  his.  From  the  time  of 
his  miraculous  conversion  to  this  point  the  Holy- 
Spirit  had  been  his  guide  and  helper ;  more  than  once 
the  Lord  had  spoken  to  him  as  He  rarely  does  to  a 
mortal  (Acts  xxii  :  17,  18 ;  xxiii :  1 1) ;  visions  and  rev-  j  j 
elations  of  the  most  stupendous  sort  had  been  vouch-  [  | 
safed  him  (2  Cor.  xii :  1-4).  If  any  Christian  ever 
could  rightfully  claim  perfection  it  was  Paul.  But 
here  he  emphatically  disclaims  it.  He  has  not  laid 
hold  of  that  for  which  Christ  had  laid  hold  of  him. 
Progress  had  been  made  indeed,  progress  unequalled 
by  the  vast  majority  of  the  saints.  But  more  lay  be- 
yond than  the  past  or  the  present  contained,  and  to- 
wards that  he  bent  all  his  powers,  summoned  all  his 
energies,  refusing  to  look  back.  A  singular  unity  of 
purpose  rules  his  activities :  "  This  one  thing  I  do." 
As  Bengel  beautifully  expresses  it,  his  eye  stretches 
away  over  the  course  and  draws  on  the  hand,  and  the 
hand  reaching  before  draws  on  the  foot.  Content- 
ment with  past  achievements  and  successes  is  fatal  to 
all  progress.  Looking  back,  lingering  lovingly  over 
past  attainments  is  weakness.  The  principle  is  as  true 
of  nations  as  of  individuals.  Modern  Greece  fondly 
looks  back  on  her  splendid  history  and  stands  still. 
Italy  long  held  her  face  steadfastly  towards  the  mighty 
Republic  and  mightier  Empire,  and  sank  at  length 
into  "  a  geographical  expression,"  as  a  cynical  French- 
man said. 

There   is   a  river  of  Lethe   in  the  city  of  God,  and 
prize-winners  must  drink  thereat,  and  forget  the  things 


34  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

behind,  that  they  may  run  as  giants  refreshed.  "  It 
would  be  better  to  forget  our  whole  life,  sins  and  all, 
than  to  look  back  with  a  sense  of  satisfaction."  And 
then,  what  glorious  inducements  are  held  out  to  stimu- 
late us,  and  keep  us  on  the  way ;  "  the  prize  of  the 
high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus," — that  is  the  mag- 
nificent goal.  Our  call  is  from  God,  it  comes  to  us  in 
Christ,  and  it  summons  us  to  heaven.  Eternal  per- 
fection arid  blessedness  is  the  prize  that  awaits  us. 
How  many,  alas,  seek  a  corruptible  crown;  ours 
should  be  the  one  aim  to  secure  an  incorruptible 
(i  Cor.  ix  :  24,  25). 

5.  A  great  expectation  (vs.  20,  21). — "  For  our  citi- 
zenship is  in  heaven ;  from  whence  also  we  wait  for  a 
saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  who  shall  fashion  anew 
the  body  of  our  humihation,  that  it  may  be  conformed 
to  the  body  of  His  glory,  according  to  the  working 
whereby  He  is  able  even  to  subject  all  things  unto 
Himself"  (r.  v.).  The  word  here  rendered  ♦♦  citizen- 
ship "  ("  conversation  ")  has  in  it  the  idea  both  of  city 
and  state.  It  is  a  heavenly  home  and  a  heavenly  com- 
monwealth to  which  Christians  belong.  Theirs  is  a 
glorious  state  and  a  blissful  company.  Their  true 
country  is  not  on  earth.  The  census  of  the  nation  in- 
cludes them,  secures  them  their  rightful  privileges  and 
imposes  on  them  corresponding  duties.  But  it  does 
not  own  them.  Their  enrollment  as  citizens  is  in 
heaven.  God  will  count  them  when  "  He  writeth  up 
the  people  "  (Ps.  Ixxxvii :  6).  As  citizens  of  heaven 
they  are  ruled  by  heaven's  laws  and  yield  obedience  to 
heaven's  King.     As  heavenly  citizens  they  have  the 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE    PHILIPPIANS  35 

right  of  access  to  the  Almighty  Sovereign,  and  the 
right  to  claim  His  protection  and  His  support.  But 
they  are  not  yet  dwellers  in  the  heavenly  country,  save 
by  faith ;  they  are  unfit  for  the  glorious  state,  because 
their  bodies  are  redeemed  only  in  promise  and  pledge. 
The  epithet  "  vile,"  as  appUed  to  the  bodies  of  the 
saints  is  unfortunate ;  nowhere  else  in  the  Bible  is  it  so 
used .  The  bodies  of  God's  children  are  not  vile,  for  they 
are  redeemed  and  shall  be  made  to  sparkle  and  blaze 
with  the  beauty  and  the  glory  of  Christ's  body.  Ac- 
cordingly, Christians  wait  for  the  return  of  the  Saviour 
that  the  bodies  of  their  humiliation  may  be  fashioned 
anew — bodies  of  "  incorruption,"  of  "  glory,"  of 
"power,"  and  "spiritual"  (i  Cor.  xv  :  42-44).  Then, 
and  only  then,  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the  saying  that 
is  written.  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory.  The 
quaint  words  of  Richard  Baxter  express  the  confidence 
of  all  those  who  know  the  pain  and  sorrow  and  feeble- 
ness and  decay  of  the  "  body  of  our  humiliation," 
"  My  face  will  not  wrinkle,  nor  my  hair  be  gray ;  but 
this  mortal  shall  have  put  on  immortality." 

The  apostle  closes  this  stupendous  revelation  of  the 
Christian's  future  with  a  very  tender  appeal,  "  There- 
fore, my  dearly  beloved  and  longed-for "  (iv  :  i). 

Because  you  are  citizens  of  the  heavenly  country ;  be- 
cause you  wait  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord ;  because 
your  bodies  are  to  be  fashioned  anew  into  the  likeness 
of  His  glorious  Body ;  therefore,  stand  fast  in  the  Lord, 
firm  in  your  ranks,  like  fellow-citizens  with  the  glori- 
fied, the  members  of  God's  great  family.  And  then 
the  titles  of  endearment — they  swell  and  deepen  and 


36  OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN    THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

thrill,  like  the  tones  of  a  noble  instrument — "  my  be- 
loved, my  longed-for,  my  joy,  my  crown,  my  beloved." 
But  an  instant  before  he  was  weeping  as  he  wrote 
(iii :  1 8),  but  now  he  writes  in  very  rapture,  and  seems 
to  sing  as  he  writes. 

5.  Things  which  Christians  should  do  (iv.  4-9). 
They  should  practice  forbearance  (v.  5),  "  Let  your 
moderation  be  known  to  all  men  " — rather,  your  gen- 
tleness, your  yieldingness.  It  is  self-restraint  that  is 
urged  upon  us.  The  forbearance  we  are  to  practice  is 
that  noble  spirit  which  does  not  insist  on  what  is  its 
due,  that  does  not  stand  on  absolute  right,  but  de- 
scends and  complies.  It  is  opposed  to  that  rigour 
which  never  bends  nor  deviates,  and  which,  as  it  pays 
the  last  farthing,  uniformly  exacts  it.  It  is  not  weak- 
ness nor  pliability — a  reed  in  the  wind — but  the 
gracious  disposition  to  yield  where  no  principle  is  in- 
volved, where  only  ease  or  comfort  or  personal  vantage 
are  at  stake.  It  is  closely  akin  to  the  love  that  "  seek- 
eth  not  its  own,"  that  beareth  all  things,  that  doth  not 
behave  itself  unseemly.  The  reason  that  enforces  this 
duty  is  one  of  the  strongest :  "  The  Lord  is  at  hand." 
He  is  coming  ere  long,  and  He  will  right  every  wrong, 
and  reward  every  patient  servant. 

They  should  be  instant  in  prayer  (vs.  6,  7).  One 
has  paraphrased  the  sixth  verse  thus  :  '•  Be  careful  for 
nothing ;  be  prayerful  in  everything ;  be  thankful  for 
anything."  In  the  revision  "  careful "  is  replaced  by 
the  more  accurate  "  anxious."  The  command  is  lev- 
elled against  sinful  worry,  unbelieving_anxiety,  which 
at   bottom    is   distrust   of  God's   goodness   and   love 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   PHILIPPIANS  37 

(Matt,  vi :  25-32).  God  cares  for  the  birds,  the  flow- 
ers ;  will  He  not  for  His  children?  The  Saviour's 
cogent  argument  ought  to  banish  all  anxiety  and  set- 
tle the  believer's  mind  in  perfect  peace.  One  evening 
Luther  saw  a  little  bird  perching  on  a  tree  and  taking 
up  its  rest  for  night,  and  he  said  :  "  That  little  bird  has 
chosen  its  shelter,  and  is  about  to  go  to  sleep  in  tran- 
quillity :  it  has  no  disquietude,  neither  does  it  consider 
where  it  shall  rest  to-morrow  night,  but  it  sits  in  peace 
on  that  slender  branch,  leaving  it  to  God  to  provide  for 
it.  Thus  we  ourselves  refuse  to  trust  in  God,  who  so 
far  from  willing  our  condemnation,  has  given  for  us 
His  own  Son."  God  is  on  the  throne  of  grace,  and  is 
ever  accessible.  His  gifts  are  never  exhausted  and 
never  lose  their  adaptation  to  our  needy  cases ;  there- 
fore, "  let  your  requests  be  made  known  unto  God." 

The  blessed  result  of  thus  doing  is  assured :  "  and 
the  peace  of  God  that  passeth  all  understanding  shall 
guard  your  minds  and  hearts  through  Christ  Jesus." 
The  psalmist  prayed  down  his  ills,  dreadful  as  they 
were  (Ps.  vi,  cxvi)  and  then  confidently  said  to  him- 
self, "  return  to  thy  rest,  O  my  soul ;  for  the  Lord  hath 
dealt  bountifully  with  thee."  He  could  rock  himself 
to  sleep  on  the  assurance  of  God's  faithfulness,  and  still 
the  tumult  of  his  spirit.  Over  against  the  "  nothing  " 
of  care  Paul  sets  the  "  everything  "  by  prayer :  over 
against  anxiety,  the  knowledge-surpassing  peace  of 
God.  "  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  peace,  peace,  whose 
mind  is  stayed  on  thee  :  because  he  trusteth  in  thee  " 
(Isa.  xxvi :  3,  mar.). 

They  should  meditate  on  high  and  holy  things  (v.  8). 


38  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

Six  things  as  objects  worthy  of  earnest  contempla- 
tion are  mentioned  and  a  summary  of  all  praiseworthy 
virtues.  They  are  descriptive  terms  of  moral  excel- 
lence ;  combined,  they  form  Christian  character  of  the 
noblest  type.  On  them  Christians  are  to  think,  to 
ponder  and  meditate  that  they  may  reproduce  them  in 
their  lives.  The  mind  takes  the  stamp  of  what  it 
most  constantly  and  eagerly  contemplates.  There  is 
transforming  power  in  prolonged  contemplation.  No 
man  ever  becomes  a  great  criminal  at  a  single  bound. 
Crime  is  first  conceived  in  the  heart,  then  it  is  nurtured 
and  rehearsed  by  the  perverse  mind,  before  it  is  exe- 
cuted by  the  hand  (Jas.  i :  14,  15).  No  man  ever  be- 
comes eminent  in  sainthood  in  a  moment.  Christian 
character  is  a  growth,  not  an  accident.  It  is  process 
and  a  product,  not  a  fiat.  Our  thinking  moulds  us. 
A  Tamil  saying  runs  thus :  "  Think  of  Buddha,  and 
you  will  become  like  Buddha."  A  far  better  saying 
is,  Think  of  Christ,  and  you  will  become  like  Him. 
"  But  we  all,  with  open  (unveiled)  face  beholding  as  in 
a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the 
same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  "  (2  Cor.  iii  :  18).  To^think  perpetually  on 
business,  on  the  condition  of  the  money  market,  on 
politics,  pleasure,  books  and  reading  even  will  not  soon 
transform  us  into  the  blessed  image  of  the  Lord. 
"  Think  on  these  things." 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS 

In  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians  Paul  mentions  three 
cities  of  Asia  Minor,  to  wit,  Colossae,  Laodicea,  and 
Hierapolis.  The  three  belonged  to  Phrygia,  and  were 
located  in  the  valley  of  the  Lycus,  a  tributary  of  the 
famous  Maeander.  According  to  the  late  maps  of  Asia 
Minor,  particularly  those  of  Professor  Ramsay,  they 
lay  in  the  form  of  a  triangle,  Colossae  and  Laodicea 
being  the  base  and  Hierapolis  the  apex.  The  cities 
were  contiguous  to  each  other,  Laodicea  being  about 
nine  miles  and  Hierapolis  about  thirteen  miles  from 
Colossae,  while  the  distance  between  Hierapolis  and 
Laodicea  was  only  some  six  miles.  The  whole  region 
is  volcanic,  and  earthquakes  have  been  frequent  through- 
out its  history.  Laodicea  suffered  immensely  from 
earthquakes,  and  seems  finally  to  have  been  destroyed 
thereby.  In  a.  d.  65  (probably),^  a  few  years  later 
than  the  writing  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  all 
three  cities,  but  particularly  Laodicea,  were  greatly 
damaged  by  an  earthquake,  and  yet  the  latter  disdained 
to  seek  help  from  the  liberality  of  the  Emperors,  as 
many  of  the  great  cities  of  Asia  had  done.  "  As  late 
as  1720,  12,000  people  perished  in  a  great  convulsion 
of  the  region  "  (Moule).  The  pastures  of  the  valley 
were  rich  and  luxuriant,  and  flocks  abounded;  the 
wool  there  grown  was  noted  for  its  superior  quality, 

*  Lightfoot  and  Moule  give  the  above  date ;  Ramsay,  A.  D.  60. 
39 


40         OUTLINE  STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

and  the  dyes  were  as  famous  as  those  of  its  neighbour, 
Thyatira. 

Of  the  three  Colossae  was  inferior  in  size  and  im- 
portance. Laodicea  was  rich  and  influential.  Shortly 
before  the  Christian  Era  it  was  made  the  metropolis, 
or  district-capital,  of  twenty-five  towns  of  the  surround- 
ing territory  (Moule).  The  Roman  statesman  and 
orator,  Cicero,  when  governor  of  Cihcia  (b.  c.  52-50) 
often  held  court  in  its  court-house.  Its  chief  interest 
for  us,  however,  arises  from  the  fact  that  it  is  one  of 
the  seven  churches  of  Asia  Minor,  and  the  last  of  the 
seven,  that  our  Lord  addressed  through  His  servant, 
John  (Rev.  iii :  14-22).  Hierapolis  was  noted  for  its 
hot  mineral  springs  and  their  healing  properties.  In 
the  time  of  the  Roman  Empire  people  from  many 
parts  of  Asia  and  of  Europe  repaired  thither  to  bathe 
and  to  seek  cures  for  their  maladies.  But  Hierapolis 
is  celebrated  mainly  for  the  reason  that,  according  to 
a  well-founded  tradition,  Philip  of  Bethsaida  settled 
there,  and  after  his  death  his  two  virgin  daughters  who 
survived  him  for  many  years  continued  to  dwell  there, 
dying  at  length  at  an  advanced  age  (Eusebius).  From 
these  Christians,  from  Aristion,  from  John  the  Presby- 
ter, and  from  others,  Papias,  the  native  bishop  of  Hier- 
apolis, about  A.  D.  1 30,  gathered  the  materials  for  his 
work,  now  lost,  entitled  Expositions  of  the  Lord's  Dis- 
courses. Around  the  very  brief  report  of  some  of 
Papias'  work  which  the  historian  Eusebius  has  trans- 
mitted to  us  controversy  still  rages.  It  is  enough  here 
to  say  that  two  things  are  apparently  established  by 
this  ancient  pastor  of  Hierapolis,  viz.,  the  existence  in 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSI ANS  4 1 

his  day  of  writings  by  Matthew  and  Mark  which  were 
regarded  by  Christians  as  authoritative,  and  that  his 
own  writing  was  personal  reminiscences  of  our  Lord's 
words  and  works  gathered  from  what  he  deemed  au- 
thoritative sources. 

Groups  of  Christians  were  found  in  the  tree  cities, 
how  many  in  each  is  unknown,  though  it  is  Hkely  the 
larger  number  pertained  to  Colossae,  and  to  these  more 
particularly  the  epistle  which  we  are  now  to  study  was 
addressed. 

Paul  had  not  evangelized  in  these  cities.  It  is  not 
known  whether  he  ever  visited  the  Lycus  valley.  In 
the  epistle  he  reminds  the  Colossians  that  neither  they 
nor  those  of  Laodicea  had  seen  his  face,  so,  at  least, 
his  words  seem,  on  a  fair  principle  of  interpretation,  to 
suggest  (cf.  i :  7  ;  ii :  i).  From  i :  7  ;  iv  :  12,  1 3 ;  Phile. 
23,  the  inference  appears  legitimate  that  the  servant  of 
Christ  who  preached  the  Gospel  in  this  region  was 
Epaphras  whose  zeal  and  devotion  the  aposde  warmly 
commends.  Another  labourer  either  at  Colossae  or  at 
Laodicea,  Archippus,  is  earnestly  exhorted  in  iv :  17. 
It  is  not  to  be  forgotten,  however,  that  all  these  work- 
ers, Epaphras,  Archippus,  Philemon  (probably  the  fa- 
ther of  Archippus  and  husband  of  Apphia  (Phile.  2) 
had  been  brought  into  contact  with  Paul  at  Ephesus 
and  had  learned  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  from  the 
apostle.  In  Acts  xix  :  10  we  are  told  that  during 
Paul's  sojourn  there  "  all  they  who  dwelt  in  Asia  heard 
the  word  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  both  Jews  and  Greeks." 
The  term  Asia  includes  the  Lycus  valley  as  well  as 
other   territory  adjacent   to   the   proconsular   capital. 


42  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

Colossae  and  its  neighbouring  towns  lay  on  the  high- 
way to  Ephesus,  and  no  doubt  the  intercourse  between 
these  points  was  constant  (cf.  Acts  xix :  26).  The 
Colossians  who  heard  and  received  the  message  of  the 
Gospel  at  Ephesus  carried  it  back  to  their  home  and 
published  it  among  their  friends  and  fellow  citizens. 
A  Christian  church  was  the  fruit  of  their  testimony. 
In  doctrine  and  general  character  it  was  Pauline,  like 
the  other  sister  churches  in  Proconsular  Asia.  No 
doubt  Epaphras,  Archippus  and  Philemon  were  mainly 
instrumental  in  founding  the  Christian  assembhes  in  the 
cities  of  the  Lycus  valley. 

During  Paul's  imprisonment  at  Rome  a  large  liberty 
for  intercourse  with  his  friends  seems  to  have  been 
accorded  him  (cf.  Acts  xxviii :  30,  31).  It  was  other- 
wise in  his  confinement  at  Caesarea ;  inactivity  of  a 
compulsory  sort  appears  to  have  been  his  situation 
there  (Acts  xxiv  :  23).  But  at  Rome  even  his  preach- 
ing was  subjected  to  no  restraint.  Though  confined 
to  his  "  own  hired  house  "  he  kept  up  a  constant  inter- 
course, through  his  delegates,  with  his  converts  in 
various  parts  of  the  Empire.  "  The  care  of  all  the 
churches "  was  still  his  heavy  burden.  Even  in  the 
case  of  some  that  had  never  seen  his  face  in  the  flesh, 
as  this  assembly  at  Colossae,  his  solicitude  was  aroused 
and  his  pen  warned,  exhorted,  argued,  rebuked,  com- 
forted. It  was  probably  Epaphras  who  brought  to  the 
apostle  the  unwelcome  tidings  that  the  faith  of  the 
Colossians  was  in  danger  of  being  perverted  by  false 
teaching.  The  gravity  of  the  situation  was  such  as  to 
demand  prompt  attention. 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSI ANS  43 

The  nature  of  the  teaching  which  disturbed  the 
church  and  threatened  its  hfe  will  appear  when  the 
contents  of  the  epistle  are  under  review.  Some 
observations  touching  it  may  be  here  offered,  as  pre- 
liminary to  a  more  careful  study  farther  on.  "  The 
Colossian  Heresy  "  was  made  up  of  a  variety  of  ele- 
ments, the  more  prominent  being  of  Jewish  sources. 
It  was  conglomerate,  a  mixture  of  philosophical  specu- 
lation, Oriental  Theosophy,  Judaism,  and  asceticism. 
It  had  in  it  the  germs  of  what  in  the  second  century 
became  known  as  Gnoticisnty  one  of  the  strangest  and 
most  fantastic  productions  of  the  human  brain.  Gnos- 
ticism attempted  two  impossible  things  :  it  sought  to 
explain  the  mystery  of  creation,  and  the  origin  of  evil. 
It  attempted  to  account  for  finite  existence  by  a  chain 
of  what  it  named  Emanations,  i.  e.y  a  host  of  be- 
ings somewhat  resembling  angels,  that  formed  a  bridge 
between  the  world  and  God.  These  Emanations  form 
a  descending  scale,  grading  from  the  highest  to  the 
lowest,  from  God  to  matter.  It  taught  that  the  world 
was  not  made  by  the  eternal  God,  but  by  some  inferior 
being.  It  held  that  matter  is  essentially  evil,  and  only 
evil ;  hence  those  who  seek  to  escape  from  evil  must 
repudiate  matter  and  all  material  things.  Accordingly, 
the  system  led  to  extreme  austerities  on  the  one  hand, 
and  uncurbed  Hcense  on  the  other.  It  regarded  Christ 
as  a  mere  man,  on  whom,  however,  the  great  ^on 
descended  at  His  baptism  and  left  Him  when  on  the 
cross  He  cried,  "  My  God,  My  God,  why  hast  Thou  for- 
saken Me  ?  "  Such  were  some  of  the  chief  features  of 
developed  Gnosticism,  that  extravagant  and  extraor- 


44  OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

dinary  heresy  against  which  Irenaeus,  TertuUian,  and 
HyppoHtus  exerted  the  whole  strength  of  their  splendid 
minds.  The  heresy  of  the  church  at  Colossae  certainly 
was  not  full-grown  Gnosticism ;  but  it  had  some  of  its 
elements  in  embryo.  Already  was  it  in  the  air,  its 
winged  seeds  flying  over  Asia  Minor,  and  dropping 
into  congenial  soil.  The  false  doctrine  taught  among 
the  Colossians  had  a  philosophical  character,  it  was 
distinguished  for  ascetic  rules  that  went  far  beyond 
even  the  Mosaic  Law,  and  it  advocated  the  worship  of 
angels.  Ever  has  the  human  mind  sought  to  penetrate 
into  the  unseen  world  and  know  something  of  its 
mysteries.  The  false  teachers  at  Colossae  attempted  to 
introduce  men  into  those  mysteries,  and  the  system 
naturally  brought  on  a  species  of  angel  worship.  It 
inculcated  extreme  repression  of  the  natural  appetites, 
and  it  exalted  the  mortification  of  the  body  and  the  re- 
pression of  its  desires  as  one  of  the  conditions  of 
supreme  knowledge.  Its  teachers  were  in  some  sense 
Judaists,  but  Judaists  who  combined  in  their  teaching 
philosophy,  theosophy,  and  ascetic  mysticism.  The 
system  tended  to  limit  the  greatness  and  authority  of 
Christ  and  the  sufficiency  of  His  redemption.  It 
exalted  man  and  his  doings,  it  magnified  the  virtue  of 
humility  and  self-abnegation,  while  at  the  same  time  it 
fostered  pride  and  arrogance,  and  contempt  for  those 
whom  it  regarded  as  without  the  true  knowledge  and 
the  power  to  practice  austerities. 

It  is  thought  by  some  that  there  was  a  chief  teacher 
of  these  views,  a  heresiarch  whose  intellectual  gifts 
gave  him  preeminence  over  all  others;  ii:4,  8,  i6,  i8 


THE  EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSIANS  45 

appears  to  indicate  the  presence  and  work  of  such  a 
leader.  At  any  rate,  the  errorists  were  busy  sowing 
the  seeds  of  speculation  and  false  doctrine  among  these 
Christians,  and  the  epistle  is  designed  mainly  to 
counteract  the  insidious  teachings,  and  to  settle  the 
saints  in  steadfast  adherence  to  the  truth  of  God.  It 
is  a  most  interesting  and  instructive  Scripture  we  are 
to  study.  Like  the  Bible  generally,  it  is  thoroughly 
"  up  to  date,"  and  it  pours  a  flood  of  light  on  many 
of  the  odd  fancies  and  erroneous  notions  of  our  own 
times. 

A  close  resemblance  between  Ephesians  and  Colos- 
sians  exists.  All  readers  of  the  two  epistles  recognize 
it.  The  resemblance  appears  in  the  general  structure,  in 
the  presence  of  the  same  words  and  form  of  expression, 
and  often  in  the  identity  of  thought  in  the  two  when 
the  language  differs.  On  the  ground  of  the  striking 
resemblance  some  have  assumed  a  different  authorship. 
It  is  argued  that  Colossians  is  a  condensed  recension 
of  Ephesians,  or  the  latter  is  but  an  expansion  of  the 
former.  The  assumption  makes  no  account  of  the 
differences  between  the  two,  and  yet  these  are  as 
marked  as  the  resemblances.  Controversy  is  promi- 
nent in  Colossians  ;  it  is  almost  wholly  absent  from 
Ephesians.  In  Colossians  the  apostle  argues  and 
warns  against  the  dangers  arising  from  a  speculative 
philosophy  and  an  austere  ritualism.  In  Ephesians  he 
is  unfolding  the  glorious  work  of  God  in  behalf  of  His 
church,  the  saved  from  among  men.  In  the  one  there 
is  the  expression  of  a  mind  anxious  and  perturbed, 
struggling  with  the  perils  which  had  sprung  up  in  the 


46  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

church,  and  labouring  to  bring  back  the  saints  to  the 
completeness  and  blessedness  they  have  in  Christ.  In 
the  other,  there  breathes  the  spirit  of  repose  and 
tranquillity.  Ephesians  is  general,  designed  for  all 
God's  people :  Colossians  is  addressed  to  a  single 
church.  Certainly  the  two  were  written  about  the 
same  time.  In  fact,  it  is  uncertain  which  takes  pre- 
cedence in  point  of  time.  The  words  of  Dr.  Hort 
have  weight :  "  We  can  hardly  speak  of  one  as  prior 
to  the  other ;  both  might  be  the  products  of  the  same 
state  of  mind.  Practically,  they  were  written  to- 
gether. If  the  needs  of  the  Colossians  called  for 
special  warnings,  yet  these  warnings  needed,  as  the 
basis  for  a  fuller  faith,  some  of  the  doctrinal  matter  so 
prominent  in  Ephesians."  Findlay's  happy  term, 
"  twins,"  accurately  describes  the  contemporaneous- 
ness of  the  two  epistles. 

A  word  may  be  said  respecting  the  "  epistle  from 
Laodicea,"  mentioned  in  iv  :  i6.  The  apostle  directs 
that  there  should  be  an  interchange  of  letters  between 
the  two  churches,  that  that  from  Laodicea  should  be 
read  to  the  assembly  of  Colossae.  What  letter  is 
meant  ?  Obviously,  it  was  a  letter  which  Paul  had 
sent  to  Laodicea,  and  which  the  Colossians  were  to 
obtain  from  there.  Is  it  extant  ?  While  the  opinion 
that  an  apostolic  letter  may  be  lost  is  not  a  priori  im- 
possible, nevertheless,  we  may  well  decline  to  assume 
such  loss  where  there  is  no  necessity  to  do  so.  In  this 
instance  there  is  none.  The  "  Circular  hypothesis," 
first  advanced  by  Archbishop  Usher,  accounts  satis- 
factorily for  all  the  phenomena.     Briefly,  it  is  this  ; 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSIANS  4/ 

The  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  was  written  for  a  group 
of  churches  of  which  that  of  Ephesus  was  chief. 
Copies  were  made  for  each  church  and  the  address  was 
filled  in  for  each  of  those  to  whom  the  letter  was  in- 
tended. Hence,  in  some  ancient  copies  there  is  a 
blank  in  the  address,  probably  because  it  had  not  been 
inserted  by  the  copyist.  Laodicea  was  no  doubt  one 
of  the  assemblies  for  which  a  copy  was  prepared,  and 
it  was  carried  thither  by  the  same  messenger  who  bore 
the  epistles  to  the  Ephesians  and  Colossians,  Tychi- 
cus  (Eph  vi:  21;  Col.  iv:  7).  There  is  little  doubt 
but  that  by  the  "  epistle  from  Laodicea  "  Paul  means 
this  copy  of  his  letter  to  the  Ephesians. 

The  preposition  "  from  "  would  scarcely  be  used  of 
a  letter  addressed  simply  to  the  Laodiceans  and  belong- 
ing properly  to  them ;  it  is  quite  appropriate  for  one 
intended  to  be  transmitted  from  one  place  to  another, 
as,  e.  g.y  from  Laodicea  to  Colossae. 

There  is  extant,  however,  a  spurious  document 
known  as  the  "  Epistle  to  the  Laodiceans."  It  is  a 
short  composition  in  letter  form,  found,  it  is  said,  only 
in  Latin  manuscripts,  the  earliest  known  copy  dating 
from  the  sixth  century.  Probably  it  was  originally 
written  in  Greek.  It  is  made  up  almost  entirely  of 
Pauline  phrases,  "  strung  together  without  any  definite 
connection  or  any  clear  object,  taken  chiefly  from  the 
Epistle  to  the  Philippians,  but  here  and  there  one  is 
borrowed  from  elsewhere,  e.  g.,  from  the  Epistle  to  the 
Galatians."  This  description  is  entirely  accurate,  as 
any  one  will  see  who  reads  it  with  due  care.  "  For 
more  than  nine  centuries,"  says  Lightfoot,  "  this  forged 


48  OUTLINE  STUDIES    IN    THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

epistle  hovered  about  the  doors  of  the  sacred  canon." 
But  it  never  was  received  by  the  church,  and  with  the 
dawn  of  the  Reformation,  when  the  critical  spirit  was 
aroused  and  men  carefully  inspected  all  that  presented 
itself  as  claiming  their  faith  and  allegiance,  this  ghost 
of  a  Pauline  Epistle  was  forever  scared  away. 

I.     Analysis. 
Colossians  may  be  conveniently  divided  into  nine 
parts  or  sections,  though  some  of  these  are  subordi- 
nate to  the  doctrinal  portions. 

{a)  Introduction  (i :  1-14). 

1.  Address  and  greeting  (vs.  I,  2). 

2.  Thanksgiving  (vs.  3-8).  For  three  things 
particularly  does  the  apostle  give  thanks, 
for  their  faith  in  Christ,  for  their  love  to  the 
saints,  and  for  their  hope  of  coming  glory. 

3.  His  prayer  on  their  behalf  (vs.  9- 14).  He 
asks  for  a  full  knowledge  of  the  Divine  will, 
for  a  walk  that  would  be  pleasing  to  God, 
for  fruit-bearing,  for  strength  patiently  and 
joyfully  to  endure,  and  for  thankfulness  for 
the  unspeakable  blessings  of  redemption. 

(b)  The  Redeemer  and  His  glory  (i :  15-23). 

(The  prayer  glides  naturally  and  almost  in- 
sensibly into  this  matchless  theme,  the  glori- 
ous Christ.)  The  august  titles  ascribed  to 
Him  are  these  :  {a)  Image  of  the  Invisible 
God ;  {b)  First-born  of  Creation  ;  (c)  Crea- 
tor of  all  things  ;  {d)  Eternally  preexistent ; 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSIANS  49 

(^)  Upholder  of  all  things.  These  consti- 
tute His  essential  glory  as  God.  There 
follows  His  glory  as  the  Redeemer:  (a) 
Head  of  the  body ;  {p)  the  Beginning ;  [c) 
First-born  from  the  dead ;  (d')  Preeminent ; 
{e)  Possessor  of  all  fullness  ;  (/)  Recon- 
cilor  and  Peacemaker,  Sanctifier  and 
Saviour. 

{c)  Paul's  mission  (i :  24-29). 

1.  Its  character — one  of  suffering  (v.  24). 

2.  Its  glory — revelation  of  God's  mystery  (vs. 
25,  26). 

3.  Its  supreme  object — Christ  in  men  (v.  27). 

4.  Its  aim — perfection  in  Christ  (v.  28). 

5.  Its  support — the  Divine  power  (v.  29). 

(d)  Paul's  solicitude  for  the  church  (ii :  1-7). 

1.  For  their  unity  in  love  (v.  2). 

2.  For  their  assured  understanding  (v.  2). 

3.  For  their  insight  into  the  mystery  of  God, 
even  Christ  (vs.  2,  3). 

4.  For  their   security  against   delusions   and 
snares  (v.  4). 

5.  For  their  stability  and  order  (vs.  6,  7). 

(/)  Behevers'  completeness  in  Christ  (ii :  8-15). 

1.  The  threatening  danger  (v.  8). 

2.  Christ's  infinite  fullness  (v.  9). 

3.  In  Him  believers  are  complete  (v.  10). 

4.  They  have  the  true  circumcision  (v.  1 1). 

5.  They  have  the  true  baptism  (v.  12). 


50  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

6.  They  have  the  true  life  (v.  13). 

7.  They  have  the  perfect  deliverance  (vs. 
14,  15). 

(/)  Perilous    errors   named   and   described   (ii :    8, 
16-23). 

1.  Philosophy  (v.  8). 

2.  Legalism  (vs.  16,  17). 

3.  Angelolatry  (vs.  18,  19). 

4.  Asceticism  (vs.  20-23). 

(^)  The  true  Christian  life  (iii :  1-17). 

1.  Its  source  (vs.  1,3). 

2.  Its  characteristics,  risen,  heavenly,  hidden, 
(vs.  1-3). 

3.  Its  destiny,  glory  (v.  4). 

4.  Its  twofold  action ;  (a)  mortification  (vs. 
5_9) ;  (^)  vivification  (vs.  10-17);  the  old 
man  with  all  his  unholy  deeds  to  be  put 
off;  the  new  man  with  his  activities,  vir- 
tues, and  emotions  to  be  put  on. 

{h)  Christian    behaviour   in   various   relations   (iii: 
i8-iv:  6). 

1.  In  the  family  (iii :  18-21). 

2.  Masters  and  servants  (iii:  22-iv:  i). 

3.  Prayer  and  social  intercourse  (iv :  2-6). 

I.     Personal  Matters  and  Messages  (iv.  7-18.) 
We   may   summarize   the    contents    of  the  epistle 

thus : — 

I.     The  glories  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  essential 

and  official  (i :  14-19). 


THE    EPISTLE    TO    THE    COLQSSIANS  5 1 

2.  Perfection  of  Christ's  redemptive  work  (i :  20-29). 

3.  The  calling,  unity,  and  completeness  of  all  true 
believers  (ii :  1-7). 

4.  The  perils  of  a  worldly  philosophy  and  carnal 
ritualism  (li  :  8,  16-23). 

5.  Privilege  of  believers  to  be  above  the  world 
(iii:i-i7). 

The  doctrines  of  salvation  here  fall  somewhat  into 
the  background,  but  they  are  by  no  means  absent. 
Guilt  and  redemption,  sin  and  forgiveness  are  certainly 
taught,  but  not  precisely  in  the  same  way  nor  with 
the  like  fullness  of  treatment  as  in  Romans  and  Ephe- 
sians,  for  in  Colossians  these  are  discussed  in  close  re- 
lation with  the  "  heresy "  that  was  invading  this 
church. 

There  are  two  subjects  which  deserve  careful  atten- 
tion because  of  their  timely  importance  and  funda- 
mental character.  These  two  subjects  are,  Christ's 
Preeminence  (i :  9-20) ;  and  the  description  and  refu- 
tation of  the  "  heresy  "  (ii).  The  two  are  closely  con- 
nected, for  the  supremacy  of  Christ  was  clouded  if  not 
repudiated  by  the  sectaries  who  sought  to  impose  a 
system  of  worship  upon  the  Colossians  which  virtu- 
ally antagonized  and  displaced  the  Lord  Jesus  from 
His  august  place  both  in  the  universe  and  particu- 
larly in  redemption.  It  is  these  that  lie  at  the  basis  of 
the  epistle,  to  discuss  these  in  his  own  masterly  way, 
to  bring  back  the  church  to  Him  in  loving  loyalty 
and  hearty  submission  was  Paul's  prime  object. 

I.  The  power  and  glory  of  the  Son  of  God  (i : 
9-20). — He  is  at  once  our  Maker  and  Redeemer.    He  is 


52  OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

Creator  of  the  universe  and  its  supporter.  By  Him  it 
came  into  being,  and  by  Him  it  is  maintained  in  be- 
ing. He  is,  moreover,  the  Saviour  of  the  whole  body 
of  the  redeemed  and  their  Head.  He  is  preeminent. 
The  section  is  rich  in  its  descriptive  titles  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  If  language  has  any  fixed  and  proper 
significance,  if  words  and  phrases  mean  anything,  then 
He  of  whom  Paul  speaks  is  superhuman,  super-an- 
gelic, the  equal  of  God,  Himself  God. 

The  apostle  begins  with  thanksgiving,  then  follows 
with  intercession  for  the  Colossian  saints.  It  is  his 
usual  method  of  introducing  his  instructions  and  ap- 
peals (Rom.  i :  8-12  ;  Eph.  i :  15-23  ;  i  Thess.  i :  2-7, 
etc.).  He  devoutly  thanks  God  for  the  presence  in  the 
church  of  the  three  distinguishing  graces,  faith,  love, 
and  hope  (vs.  3-8).  Of  the  three  the  chief  place  is 
given  faith,  for,  as  the  martyr  Polycarp  long  ago 
wrote,  "  Faith,  which  is  the  mother  of  us  all,  followed 
by  hope  whose  precursor  is  love,"  is  the  grace  that 
always  has  precedence  in  the  Christian  virtues.  The 
prayer  (vs.  9- 14),  is,  in  substance,  that  they  may  will 
and  walk  with  God.  That  they  may  so  do,  Paul  prays 
that  they  may  "  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  His  will 
in  all  wisdom  and  spiritual  understanding  " — wisdom,  to 
discern  the  divine  will,  spiritual  understanding,  or  in- 
sight, that  they  may  apply  to  their  daily  life  God's 
will,  that  He  may  have  the  rightful  supremacy  over 
them  in  all  things.  The  essence  of  Christianity  is  to 
obey  the  Divine  will.  This  was  perfectly  exhibited  in 
the  Lord  Jesus.  It  is  seen  to  be  the  controlling  force, 
the  master  motive,  in  all  believers.     In  doing  it  they 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSIANS  53 

find  man's  chief  eHd,  their  own  highest  happiness,  and 
the  most  blessed  Hberty.  Thereby  they  come  to  know 
Him,  for  "  obedience  is  the  organ  of  spiritual  knowl- 
edge," "  If  any  man  willeth  to  do  His  will,  he  shall 
know  of  the  teaching,  whether  it  is  of  God,  or  whether 
I  speak  from  myself"  (John  vii :  17  ;  cf.  iii:  21).  Thus 
is  fulfilled  the  promise,  "  Then  shall  we  know  if  we 
follow  on  to  know  the  Lord  "  (Hos.  vi :  3).  "  He  that 
first  begs,  and  then  digs  for  knowledge,  searching  for 
her  as  for  hid  treasure  (Pro v.  ii :  3,  4),  he  shall  be  sure 
of  some  daily  comings  in  from  Christ ;  he  shall  under- 
stand the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  find  the  knowledge  of 
God."  Thus  doing,  the  saints  will  walk  worthily  of 
the  Lord  to  all  pleasing,  meeting  His  wishes,  antici- 
pating His  will,  and  enjoy  communion  with  Him. 
Five  times  the  word  all  is  repeated  (vs.  9,  10,  11) ;  in 
vs.  10,  II,  it  is  twice  found,  though  rendered  "  every" 
once  in  v.  lo.  Its  repeated  use  shows  how  compre- 
hensive are  the  blessings  for  which  he  prays,  and  how 
profoundly  the  answer  to  his  petitions  must  affect 
their  lives. 

All  the  prayers  of  the  Bible  are  argumentative. 
The  petitions  are  grounded  on  the  revealed  character 
of  God,  on  some  gracious  promise,  or  on  some  happy 
experience.  In  Solomon's  dedicatory  prayer  of  the 
Temple  (i  Kings  viii),  argument,  reasoning  with  God, 
predominates  ;  and  even  our  Lord's  intercessory  prayer 
(John  xvii)  is  filled  with  the  same  remarkable  feature. 
The  like  thing  appears  here.  Christians  are  to  give 
thanks  to  the  Father  because  He  has  qualified  them  to 
be  sharers  in  the  inheritance  of  the  saints,  because  He 


54  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

has  delivered  them  from  the  power  of  darkness  and 
has  translated  them  into  the  kingdom  of  the  Son  of 
His  love,  because,  in  short,  He  has  redeemed  and 
pardoned  them.  Already  saved  and  brought  in  the 
Kingdom  of  God,  destined  to  dwell  forever  in  the  un- 
approachable light,  why  should  they  not  rejoice  and 
express  their  joy  by  hearty  thanksgiving?  Like 
Israel  in  the  olden  time  God  has  brought  them  out 
that  He  might  bring  them  in  (Deutvi:23);  out  of 
darkness,  into  hght;  out  of  the  despotism  of  Satan, 
into  the  blissful  realm  of  God.  "  The  Son  of  His  love  " 
is  found  nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testament.  It 
means  certainly  something  more  than  that  Christ  is 
the  supreme  object  of  the  Father's  love:  He  is  its 
worthy  object  no  doubt ;  but  He  is  also  the  representa- 
tive and  the  depositary  of  His  love,  in  Him  the  infinite 
love  is  treasured,  and  by  Him  it  is  distributed.  Accord- 
ingly, since  Christ  is  the  glorious  Head  of  the  King- 
dom, love  is  enthroned  in  its  centre.  The  Kingdom 
is  what  it  is  to  its  happy  subjects  because  its  King  is 
the  Son  of  the  Father's  love.  This  great  truth  surely 
furnishes  ample  ground  for  earnestness  and  confidence 
in  prayer. 

Moreover,  in  the  Son  we  have  our  redemption. 
The  term  points  to  a  rescue  by  ransom.  The  ransom 
is  not  here  directly  expressed,  for  the  words,  "  through 
His  blood  "  of  the  common  version,  are  now  generally 
omitted.  It  is  thought  they  were  inserted  from  Eph. 
i :  7  where  they  are  certainly  genuine.  They  define 
exactly  the  price  paid  for  the  ransom,  the  Lord's 
death.     The   redemption   secures    the  pardon  of  our 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE    COLOSSIANS  55 

sins  and  acceptance  with  God.  It  is  a  present  posses- 
sion, a  blessing  which  now  "  we  have."  With  utmost 
precision  the  apostle  ascribes  our  entire  salvation  to 
the  work  of  Christ,  and  he  insists  that  they  alone  en- 
joy it  who  are  in  vital  union  with  Him,  who  are  "  in 
Christ."  This  fundamental  truth  leads  him  up  to  the 
theme  upon  which  he  seems  to  exhaust  speech  as  a 
vehicle  to  convey  the  mighty  revelation.  It  is  the  su- 
preme subject  of  all  Scripture,  the  joy  and  comfort  of 
all  believers — the  Person  and  Redeeming  work  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  (vs.  15-20). 

This  matchless  description  of  the  person  and  work 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  falls  into  two  parts,  or  rather, 
Christ  is  here  viewed  in  His  twofold  relation  to  the 
universe  and  the  Church  of  the  redeemed.  We  have, 
first.  His  greatness  as  Head  of  Creation  (vs.  15-17). 
Second,  His  greatness  as  Head  of  the  Church,  His 
Body  (vs.  18-20).  The  section  may  be  represented 
(following  Findlay's  analysis)  thus  : 

I.     Christ's  Headship  of  Creation  : — 

V.  15.  {a)  Who  is  the  image  of  God  the  in- 
visible, First-born  of  all  creation  : 

V.  16.  (b)  For  in  Him  were  created  all  things. 
{c)  In  heaven  and  on  the  earth,  the 
things  visible  and  the  things  in- 
visible— whether  thrones,  whether 
lordships,  whether  principalities, 
whether  dominions 

V.  17.  {d)  All  through  Him  and  unto  Him 
have  been  created ; 


56  OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

{e)  And  He  is  before  all  things,  and  in 
Him  all  things  consist. 

II.     Christ's  Headship  of  the  Body,  the  Church  : — 
V.  1 8.  {a)  And  He  is  the  Head  of  the  body, 

the  Church. 
(J?)  Who  is  (the)  Beginning,  First-born 

out  of  the  dead,  that  in  all  things 

He  might  become  preeminent. 
V.  19.    {c)  For  in  Him  he  was  pleased  that  all 

the  fullness  should  dwell. 
V.  20.  {d)  And  through  Him  to  reconcile  all 

things    unto     Him,   having    made 

peace    through   the   blood   of    his 

cross. 
(e)  Through  Him,  whether  the  things 

on  the  earth,  or  the  things  in  the 

heavens. 

Here  are  groups  and  clusters  of  glories  which  the 
Spirit  ascribes  to  our  blessed  Lord.  The  depth  of 
them  no  one  may  hope  to  fathom,  their  height  none 
can  scale.  For  the  majestic  description  embraces  the 
universe,  sweeps  through  time  and  eternity,  goes  down 
into  the  grave  and  into  the  invisible  world,  comes 
forth  in  the  power  of  an  endless  life,  even  resurrection 
hfe,  and  exhibits  the  Man,  Christ,  as  preeminent,  su- 
perhuman, super-angelic,  in  short,  as  Himself  the  eter- 
nal Lord  of  all.  Paul's  weighty  terms  can  by  no  dex- 
terity of  exegesis  nor  juggling  of  words  be  reduced 
and  dwarfed  so  as  to  fit  a  creature.     He  who  is  all 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSI AKS  5/ 

that  the  inspired  pen  here  portrays  is  no  creature,  He 
is  God,  "  very  God  of  very  God."  Some  of  the  great 
titles  here  given  our  Lord  deserve  more  lengthy  study 
than  can  be  devoted  to  them.  A  few  words  must  suf- 
fice. 

I.  **  Who  is  the  image  of  the  invisible  God"  (v.  15). 
— The  reference  is  to  Christ.  But  how,  in  what  sense, 
is  He  the  Image  of  God  invisible  ?  "  Image  "  is  far  re- 
moved from  imitation  ;  it  implies  more  than  resem- 
blance or  similitude  :  it  is  even  more  exact  and  defi- 
nite than  likeness.  It  presupposes  a  prototype,  that 
which  it  not  only  represents,  but  from  which  it  is 
drawn  (Trench  Syn.).  As  applied  to  Christ  it  has 
much  the  same  meaning  as  "  effulgence  of  (His)  glory, 
and  the  very  image  of  His  substance  "  (Heb.  i :  3).  In 
Heb.  x:  I  a  sharp  contrast  is  drawn  between  image 
and  shadow  or  external  similarity,  •'  For  the  law  hav- 
ing a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come,  not  the  very 
image  of  the  things." — The  shadow  was  only  a 
dim,  imperfect  sketch  of  coming  things ;  the  image  of 
them  would  be  a  full  and  accurate  representation; 
"  the  things  themselves,  as  seen."  Owen  writes,  "  Were 
He  not  the  essential  image  of  the  Father  in  His  own 
Divine  person,  He  could  not  be  the  representative 
image  of  God  unto  us  as  He  is  incarnate."  Christ 
both  represents  the  Father  and  reveals  Him.  God 
the  infinite  is  here  called  the  Invisible.  Nor  is  this 
the  only  place  where  He  is  thus  described.  In  John 
i :  18,  we  are  told,  "  No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any 
time"  (cf.  I  John  iv:  12).  In  i  Tim.  vi,  the  apostle 
speaks  of  Him  as  "  dwelling  in  the  light  which  no 


5S  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE     NEW    TESTAMENT 

man  can  approach  unto  ;  whom  no  man  hath  seen, 
nor  can  see."  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  His  image  in 
the  sense  that  He  perfectly  represents  Him  and  mani- 
fests Him,  "  The  only  begotten  Son  who  is  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Father  hath  declared  Him  "  (the  word  for 
"  declare  "  is  the  source  of  our  English  exegesis,  so 
that  we  might  almost  read,  hath  interpreted,  hath  ex- 
pounded Him).  To  Jesus  Christ  we  are  indebted  for 
all  we  know  of  the  Father.  The  revelation  of  the 
Father  which  He  has  made  is  too  great  and  holy,  too 
lofty  and  pure,  too  tender  and  self-denying,  to  have 
had  its  home  in  the  bosom  of  a  mere  creature.  He 
who  has  made  us  acquainted  with  the  Invisible  God  is 
Himself  the  Image  of  God,  the  eternal  Son  who  dwelt 
in  His  bosom  from  eternity,  and  who  in  His  grace  has 
come  into  the  world  of  men  to  declare  Him.  He  is 
the  visible  Image  of  the  invisible  Father ;  not  the 
"  copy  of  an  image,"  but,  as  an  ancient  Greek  inter- 
preter expresses  it,  "  a  Hving  image  "  (Basil)  of  the 
living  God.  He  who  has  seen  Him  has  seen  the 
Father. 

2.  "  The  first-born  of  every  creature  (of  all 
creation)." — At  first  sight  this  title  seems  to  bring 
Christ  down  to  a  level  with  creation ;  as  if  we  might 
paraphrase — He  is  first  indeed  of  the  creation,  but 
likewise  as  being  Himself  a  part  of  it,  as  having  a 
beginning,  even  as  created  things  have  had.  So 
Arians,  Socians,  Unitarians,  skeptics  generally  inter- 
pret. God  forbid  that  the  Lord  Christ  should  be  thus 
dishonoured !  If  Paul  teaches  such  doctrine  by  this 
title,   he    is    in   flagrant    contradiction    with   himself 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSI ANS  59 

both  in  this  context  and  elsewhere  in  his  epistles. 
"  First-born  "  has  nothing  to  do  here  with  the  origin 
of  Christ  as  a  Divine  Person,  for  He  never  had  such 
origin.  His  existence  stretches  across  the  measureless 
ages  ;  "  He  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.'' 
As  Son  of  God  He  has  no  date,  no  reckoning.  John's 
••  in  the  beginning "  (i :  i)  is  timeless.  And  Paul's 
"  first-born  "  denotes  primarily  the  Saviour's  rank,  and 
His  priority  to  creation.  He  is  creation's  Head  and 
Sovereign.  Jehovah  called  Israel  His  first-born  (Ex. 
iv:  22),  certainly  not  because  the  oldest  people  or  the 
first  nation  of  the  world,  but  because  of  covenant  rela- 
tion with  the  Lord,  because  of  special  privileges, 
rights,  and  promises.  Israel  was  God's  first-born  in 
rank  and  dignity,  in  purpose  and  destiny.  In  due 
time  the  title  is  bestowed  upon  an  individual,  a  King, 
as  in  Ps.  Ixxxix :  27.  A  son  of  David  Jehovah  declares 
shall  be  made  "  my  first-born,  the  highest  of  the  kings 
of  the  earth.  .  .  .  And  my  covenant  shall  stand  fast 
with  him.  .  .  .  His  throne  as  the  days  of  heaven." 
Obviously,  this  First-born  is  more  than  Solomon,  more 
than  any  son  of  David  save  One,  the  Messiah  who  is  at 
once  David's  Son  and  Lord.  Of  this  First-born  we  are 
told  he  is  the  Only-begotten  (John  i :  18),  the  "  heir  of 
all  things  "  (Heb.  i :  2),  whose  "  throne  shall  endure  as 
the  sun  "  (Ps.  Ixxxix  :  36).  By  First-born  it  is  absolutely 
certain  Paul  does  not  mean  to  teach  that  our  Lord  is 
Himself  a  creature,  because  (i)  the  universe  is  the 
result  of  His  creative  power  (v.  16);  because,  (2)  He 
is  before  all  things,  i.  e.,  His  existence  antedates  all 
time,   all  creation,  hence  is  eternal  (v.  17);  because, 


60  OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

(3)  by  Him  all  things  consist,  i.  e.,  hold  together, 
cohere  in  a  system  (v.  17).  ,  These  great  verses  assert 
that,  as  to  God,  Jesus  Christ  is  His  Image ;  as  to  the 
universe,  He  is  its  Creator  ;  as  to  creation's  stability  and 
perpetuity,  He  is  its  Sovereign  and  Upholder.  Paul's 
doctrine  negatives  the  unitarian  conception  of  the  Son 
of  God ;  it  negatives  likewise  Darwinian  evolution. 
Here  is  no  hint  nor  shade  of  a  hint  that  a  "  tiny  cell " 
was  first  created,  or  at  most  a  few  "  primordial  germs," 
and  that  through  unnumbered  ages  and  cycles  by 
natural  processes  from  these  infinitesimal  beginnings 
all  things  were  developed  and  differentiated  until  now 
the  earth  and  the  universe  too  present  us  with  endless 
varieties  of  organisms.  Paul  says  that  "  In  Him,  and 
through  Him,  and  unto  Him,  all  things,  visible  and  in- 
visible, in  the  heavens  and  in  the  earth,"  were  created. 
All  the  angelic  hosts,  all  life  in  earth,  vegetable  and 
animal,  all  substances,  atoms  and  molecules,  all  matter 
and  all  physical  forces, — in  short,  the  universe  with  all 
it  contains  is  Christ's  Divine  handiwork.  He  is  the 
primal  Cause  and  the  final  Cause  of  it,  for  it  is  "  through 
Him  "  and  "  unto  Him."  If  organisms  hold  within  them 
marvellous  powers  of  development,  of  variability  and 
adapatation  to  their  environment,  it  is  because  Christ 
has  thus  constructed  them.  For  the  Christian  who 
receives  the  Scripture  as  the  very  word  of  God  the 
radical  evolutionary  hypothesis  is  unbelievable. 

3.  "  And  He  is  the  head  of  the  body,  church " 
(v.  18). — Paul  now  passes  from  the  contemplation  of 
Christ's  glory  in  the  material  creation  to  His  glory  in 
the  new  creation,  the  world  of  redemption.     Here  also 


THE    EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSI ANS  6 1 

He  has  the  preeminence.  He  is  the  Church's  Founder, 
it  is  His  creation  (Matt,  xvi :  1 8).  The  Redeemer  and 
the  redeemed  form  a  body,  a  spiritual  organism.  His 
Hfe  is  theirs  Hkewise ;  He  and  they  form  the  new  Man, 
the  glorified  Man.  Their  interests  are  His ;  His  glory 
He  gives  them  (John  xvii :  22  ;  Rom.  viii :  29).  As 
He  is  the  Head  of  the  body  all  authority  over  it 
centres  in  Him.  He  needs  no  vicar,  no  intermediary. 
He  Himself  is  sufficient,  able  to  meet  every  exigency, 
to  triumph  over  all  hindrances  and  enemies,  to  supply 
all  grace  and  strength. 

4.  "  Who  is  the  beginning  " — the  first  in  being,  in 
power,  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  of  the 
creation  of  God  (Rev.  i :  8  ;  iii :  14). — In  His  existence 
He  is  eternal,  in  His  creative  power  He  is  the  princi- 
ple, source,  and  secret  of  Hfe,  whether  in  the  universe 
or  in  the  redeemed  body.  Each  dates  and  derives 
from  Him  all  it  is  and  has. 

5.  "  The  first-born  from  the  dead  " — not  merely 
"  of  the  dead,"  but  specifically  "  from  the  dead,"  for  He 
came  forth  out  of  the  realm  of  death,  into  the  "  power 
of  an  indissoluble  life  "  (Heb.  vii :  10). — The  title 
First-born  brings  over  with  it  all  the  glory  that  sur- 
rounds it  in  verse  15.  He  was  the  first  to  arise  into 
the  new  and  unchanging  life ;  He  is  the  pledge  and 
sample  of  all  who  shall  be  raised  at  His  shout 
(i  Thess.  iv:  16,  17).  As  First-born  from  the  dead 
Christ  is  the  conqueror  of  death,  the  Master  of  the 
grave.  At  His  victorious  girdle  swing  the  keys  of 
death  and  of  Hades  (Rev.  i  :  18). 

6.  *'  For  it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  Him  should 


62  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

all  fullness  dwell." — There  are  three  explanations  of 
this  difficult  verse,  each  grammatically  tenable,  (a) 
"  For  the  whole  fullness  (of  God)  was  pleased  to  dwell 
in  Him."  This  interpretation  personifies  the  term 
fullness  in  a  manner  unsupported  by  Pauline  usage. 
It  seems  improbable  that  the  word  had  become  tech- 
nical to  such  an  extent  m  the  apostolic  age.  Doctrin- 
ally,  it  is  true ;  but  in  this  connection  it  sounds  strange 
and  unnatural,  aside  from  the  main  current  of  Paul's 
thought,  (p)  "  For  He  (the  Son)  was  pleased  that  all 
the  fullness  should  dwell  in  Him."  This  view  seems 
out  of  harmony  with  the  context,  for  the  course  of 
thought  is  not  so  much  Christ  as  the  end  in  Himself 
both  of  creation  and  reconciliation  as  the  bringing 
back  of  all  things  into  harmony  with  God  the  Father. 
(c)  "  For  it  pleased  the  Father,"  etc. — which  is  the 
rendering  of  the  vast  majority  of  interpreters.  "  The 
Father  "  is  supplied  by  the  translators,  but  it  appears 
both  fitting  and  necessary,  for  this  is  most  likely  the 
exact  sense  of  the  apostle's  words.  The  plenitude 
which  dwelt  in  Christ  is  explained  by  the  correspond- 
ing phrase,  "  For  in  Him  dwelleth  all  the  fullness  of 
the  Godhead  bodily  "  (ii :  9).  It  is  the  totality  of  the 
Divine  Powers  and  Attributes.  The  plenitude  dwelt 
in  Him  during  His  humiliation,  it  dwells  in  Him  now 
in  His  exaltation,  and  it  dwelt  in  Him  from  all  eter- 
nity. It  is  the  indwelling  in  Him  of  this  infinite  full- 
ness that  clothes  Him  with  the  majestic  attributes  here 
given  Him,  that  makes  Him  the  unique  personage  He 
is,  that  enables  Him  to  accomplish  the  matchless  work 
of  redemption  and  creation  here  ascribed  to  Him. 


THE    EPISTLE    TO    THE    COLOSSIANS  63 

7.  "  And  having  made  peace  through  the  blood  of 
His  cross,  by  Him  to  reconcile  all  things  unto  Him- 
self" (cf.  Eph.  i:  9,  10). — Christ's  act  of  reconciliation 
affects  the  universe.  How,  we  do  not  know.  How 
far  sin's  influence  extends  beyond  the  boundaries  of  our 
planet  is  not  revealed,  and  speculation  is  worse  than 
useless.  Alford  sums  up  the  teaching  of  this  verse 
thus :  "  All  creation  subsists  in  Christ :  all  creation 
therefore  is  affected  by  His  act  of  propitiation :  sinful 
creation  is,  in  the  strictest  sense,  reconciled,  from  being 
at  enmity  :  sinless  creation,  ever  at  a  distance  from  His 
unapproachable  purity,  is  lifted  into  nearer  participa- 
tion ...  of  Him,  and  thus  is  reconciled,  though 
not  in  the  strictest  sense,  yet  in  a  very  intelligible  and 
allowable  sense."  The  implied  need,  even  in  the 
angelic  world,  of  the  Son's  work,  would  strongly  ap- 
peal to  the  Colossians  who  were  being  led  into  a 
worship  of  these  beings  (cf  ii :  i8).  Let  it  be  carefully 
noted  that  Paul  does  not  here  employ  the  words, 
"things  under  the  earth,"  as  He  does  in  Phil,  ii :  to. 
The  world  of  evil  spirits  is  not  within  the  scope  of 
Christ's  reconciliation.  The  lost,  alike  angels  and  men, 
shall  bow  to  His  supreme  authority,  but  this  does  not 
imply  their  reconcihation. 

What  a  marvellous  place  is  this  to  which  the  apostle 
exalts  the  Lord  Jesus  ?  He  has  the  preeminence  in 
the  universe,  for  He  is  its  Creator  and  upholder.  His 
the  preeminence  likewise  in  redemption,  for  He  is  the 
Head  of  all  the  saved,  He  rose  from  the  dead  to  secure 
their  ultimate  and  everlasting  victory  over  the  grave. 
And  by  His  sacrificial  death  He  has  reconciled  believ- 


64  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

ing  sinners  to  God,  the  estranged  worlds  also,  and  will 
finally,  in  virtue  of  His  perfect  work,  reunite  and  sum 
up  in  Himself  in  blessed  unity  all  things  (Eph.  i.: 
9,  10). 

This  mighty  exposition  of  the  person  and  work  of 
Christ  has  a  direct  bearing  on  the  Colossian  heresy. 
Since  Christ  holds  so  exalted  a  place  in  the  universe, 
since  He  is  the  Head  of  the  old  and  the  new  crea- 
tions, since  He  superintends  from  His  lofty  seat  all 
things  in  heaven  and  earth,  since  He  is  working  out 
His  divine  plans  for  the  complete  salvation  of  His  peo- 
ple and  for  the  glory  of  God,  then  there  is,  there  can 
be  no  need  nor  place  for  intermediaries,  for  subordi- 
nate beings,  as  angels,  saints,  priests  as  go-betweens, 
as  vicars  between  Him  and  us.  It  was  no  Demiurge 
that  made  the  world  and  that  sustains  it  and  its  myriads 
of  living  organisms  in  being ;  it  was  the  Son  of  God, 
the  equal  in  power  and  glory  of  the  Father.  It  is  no 
inferior  being  who  wrought  reconciliation  between  the 
Eternal  and  the  alienated  children  of  men ;  it  is  none 
other  than  the  same  blessed  Son  of  God.  It  is  He 
also  who  sits  on  God's  throne,  who  lives  to  intercede 
for  us.  Therefore,  we  may  come  boldly  to  the  throne 
which  now  is  one  of  grace  and  mercy,  and  obtain 
what  we  need  and  all  we  need.  On  His  arm  hangs 
the  universe,  His  hand  feeds  all  creatures.  He  rules 
the  ages,  and  He  saves  the  meek.  He  needs  no  assist- 
ant, we  need  no  other  helper. 

II.  Believers'  completeness  in  Christ  (ii:8-23). — 
This  is  the  second  prominent  feature  of  the  epistle. 
The  apostle  now  vindicates  the  perfect  standing  of 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    COLOSSIANS  65 

Christians,  refutes  the  false  doctrines  of  the  heresy- 
mongers,  and  at  the  same  time  furnishes  a  description 
of  the  errors  which  were  being  industriously  dissemi- 
nated among  the  Colossians. 

The  substratum  of  the  population  of  the  three  cities 
of  Colossae,  Laodicea,  and  HierapoHs  was  Phrygian,  a 
people  among  whom  wild  and  orgiastic  rites  flourished. 
Their  ancestral  religion  was  a  species  of  delirious 
fanaticism.  The  depraved  cult  of  Cybele  found  a  wel- 
come home  in  Phrygia,  The  remarkable  career  of 
ApoUonius  of  Tyana,  a  contemporary  of  the  apostles, 
philosopher,  ascetic,  mystic,  and  miracle-worker,  shows 
how  well  the  soil  of  Asia  Minor  was  prepared  for  the 
growth  of  all  sorts  of  monstrous  beliefs.  The  national 
predisposition  of  the  Phrygians  to  religious  extrava- 
gances and  excesses  died  hard.  It  is  even  doubtful 
whether  it  ever  ceased  before  Mohammedanism  swept 
almost  every  vestige  of  Christianity  from  that  region. 
Here  Montanism,  with  its  admixture  of  good  and  evil, 
of  loyalty  and  fanaticism,  with  which  Tertullian,  one 
of  the  greatest  of  the  Latin  Fathers,  identified  him- 
self, grew  and  flourished.  Here  also  angel  worship 
prevailed,  particularly  that  of  the  archangel  Michael, 
in  whose  honour  one  of  the  finest  churches  of  the 
country  was  erected,  concerning  whose  great  deeds 
legend  was  busy  from  an  early  period,  and  of  whom 
marvellous  tales  were  told.  It  was  related  that  there 
was  a  healing  fountain  in  the  Lycus  valley  which  the 
enemies  of  the  Christians  determined  to  pollute  and 
destroy.  So  they  opened  a  canal  from  the  river  which 
should  empty  into  the  holy  fountain,  and  dammed  up 


66  OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

the  river  in  order  that  the  volume  and  force  of  the 
water  should  blot  out  the  fountain.  But  Michael 
intervened  to  preserve  the  sacred  pool.  He  stood  on 
a  rock  beside  the  sanctuary,  which  at  his  command 
split  open  with  a  noise  like  thunder  and  a  shock  as  of 
an  earthquake,  and  thus  the  flood  was  diverted  from 
the  canal  into  the  channel  miraculously  opened,  and 
the  holy  fountain  escaped  pollution.  The  worship  of 
the  archangel  became  general.  The  council  held  at 
Laodicea  about  a.  d.  363  stigmatized  it  as  idolatrous. 
As  late  as  a.  d.  450  Theodoret  wrote  that  **  this  disease 
long  continued  to  infect  Phrygia  and  Pisidia."  It 
should  be  no  surprise,  therefore,  that  among  a  people 
so  fickle  and  superstitious  specious  error  should  readily 
find  lodgment  even  in  apostolic  times. 

But  what  was  the  false  teaching  which  Paul  so  sternly 
arraigns  ? 

I.  A  Deceitful  Philosophy. 
"  Beware  lest  any  man  spoil  you  through  philosophy 
and  vain  deceit,  after  the  tradition  of  men,  after  the 
rudiments  of  the  world,  and  not  after  Christ "  (ii :  8). 
There  was  an  imminent  risk  that  such  a  disaster  should 
happen,  for  the  language  is  positive  and  definite — "Be- 
ware lest  there  shall  be  any  one."  The  danger  was, 
not  merely  that  they  should  be  despoiled,  but  that  they 
should  be  made  a  spoil,  led  captives  as  deluded  ad- 
herents and  devotees.  The  system  of  error  is  de- 
scribed as  a  philosophy.  It  is  the  only  place  in  the 
New  Testament  where  the  term  is  found.  Pythagoras 
was  the  first  to  use  it,  and  he  out  of  modesty  ;  for  he 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    COLOSSIANS  6/ 

felt  that  the  name  common  at  the  time  of  "  Wise " 
(sophos),  ill  became  men  whose  knowledge  was  so  lim- 
ited and  uncertain,  and  whose  wisdom  often  was  only- 
folly.  Therefore  he  chose  the  modest  title  of  Philos- 
opher, lover  of  wisdom,  diWd  philosophy,  the  love  of  wis- 
dom. It  is  a  comprehensive  term,  and  may  mean 
either  good  or  bad."  There  is  a  philosophy  which  is 
every  way  commendable  and  desirable — one  which  rec- 
ognizes the  Supreme  Creator  and  which  seeks  to  un- 
derstand the  mysteries  of  His  works.  There  is  a  philos- 
ophy which  is  not  desirable — one  that  refuses  to  see 
Almighty  God  in  anything  of  nature,  that  boasts  of  its 
agnosticism,  if  not  of  its  infidelity.  It  is  rationalistic. 
It  sets  man  in  the  centre  of  all  things,  and  is  blind  to 
the  deepest  truth  of  the  universe.  It  exalts  man,  only 
to  degrade  him  to  a  level  with  the  beasts  that  perish. 
It  never  wearies  of  singing  the  praises  of  intellect  and 
its  achievements,  yet  shrinks  not  from  declaring  its  be- 
lief that  in  "  matter  lies  the  promise  and  the  potency 
of  all  hfe,"  that  the  human  mind  was  "  once  latent  in  a 
fiery  cloud."  This  philosophy  may  well  be  designated 
"  a  vain  deceit."  That  of  the  deceivers  at  Colossae  was 
not  exactly  this  ;  it  was  rather  a  theosophic  speculation 
with  a  pretty  large  admixture  of  Jewish  ritualism. 
But  both  that  of  antiquity  and  this  of  our  modern  era 
agree  in  this,  that  they  make  man  the  centre  of  all 
speculation,  God  being  excluded  or  ignored.  Paul's 
strong  characterization  of  it  is,  "  Philosophy,  indeed ! 
It  is  no  better  than  an  empty  deceit."  It  may  be  set 
forth  with  **  persuasive  speech  "  (v.  4) ;  its  advocates 
be  fluent  and  eloquent,  their  arguments  logical  and 


68  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

convincing,  the  rhetoric  brilliant,  their  learning  great, 
but  their  system  is  a  delusion,  for  it  eliminates  the 
essence  of  all  truth,  God. 

Besides,  it  is  merely  human,  is  "  after  the  tradition 
of  men."  It  appeals  to  antiquity,  but  it  can  boast  of 
no  higher  authority.  It  has  been  "  handed  on  "  from 
generation  to  generation,  with  all  the  changes,  corrup- 
tions, and  weaknesses,  which  such  transmission  must 
needs  involve.  Moreover,  it  is  purely  mundane,  secu- 
lar ;  it  is  "  after  the  rudiments  of  the  world."  Its  sphere 
is  this  world  and  life ;  it  knows  nothing  of  higher  spir- 
itual things.  It  is  elementary  and  rudimentary,  a 
kindergarten  school,  which  may  be  excellent  for  chil- 
dren but  which  is  childish  for  full-grown  men.  Above 
all,  it  is  alien  to  Christ,  is  "  not  after  Christ."  This  is 
the  most  serious  charge  that  can  be  brought  against 
the  false  teaching.  It  makes  Him,  the  Son  of  God, 
less  and  lower  than  what  He  is.  It  was  not  based 
upon  Christ,  but  was  antagonistic  to  His  person  and 
work.  It  depreciated  Him  and  undervalued  His  me- 
diation. Any  new  doctrine  may  be  safely  tested  by 
the  estimation  in  which  it  holds  the  Lord  Jesus,  for  all 
that  is  false  and  dangerous  invariably  strives  to  lower 
His  rank,  and  to  disparage  the  value  of  His  sacrifice. 

2.  An  Ensnaring  Ceremonialism. 
"  Let  no  man  therefore  judge  you  in  meat,  or  in 
drink,  or  in  respect  of  a  holy  day,  or  of  the  new  moon, 
or  of  the  Sabbath  days  "  (ii :  i6).  The  term  "judge  " 
is  equivalent  to  "  take  you  to  task."  Let  none  im- 
pose on  you  his   self-asserting  authority.     The  new 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSIANS  69 

teachers  dictated  to  their  followers  what  they  should 
eat  and  drink,  and  this  no  doubt  on  philosophical  and 
ascetic  grounds.  They  may  have  taken  Moses'  system 
of  dietetics  (Lev.  xi,  xvii)  as  the  basis  of  their  prescrip- 
tions. It  may  be  they  insisted  on  a  strict  vegetable 
diet,  prohibiting  animal  food  as  essentially  defiHng  and 
degrading.  They  tried  to  make  that  a  sin  which  God 
has  not  forbidden, "  for  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  eat- 
ing and  drinking,  but  righteousness  and  peace  and  joy 
in  the  Holy  Ghost"  (Rom.  xiv  :  17).  They  sought  to 
impose  a  sacred  calendar  on  Christians,  they  designated 
certain  days  which  should  be  kept  as  holy,  days  in 
themselves  better  and  purer  than  other  days,  ^.^.,  feast 
days  (so  the  r.  v.  gives  holy  day)  new  moon,  i.  e.,  the 
Jewish  feast  of  trumpets,  and  Sabbaths,  certainly  the 
seventh  day  or  Jewish  day  of  rest.  Note  that  their 
calendar  covers  the  weekly  day  of  rest,  the  monthly 
feast  ("  new  moon  "),  and  the  great  annual  festivals, 
e.  g.,  the  Passover,  Pentecost  and  Tabernacles.  In 
short,  it  was  a  sort  of  revival  of  Judaism,  a  return  to 
the  beggarly  elements  which  the  Cross  of  Christ  had 
both  fulfilled  and  abolished.  The  effort  was  to  fasten 
on  their  necks  the  intolerable  yoke  of  ceremonialism. 
LegaHsm  infalHbly  leads  to  ritualism  of  the  worst  sort. 
None  ever  give  themselves  to  asceticism  and  mortifica- 
tions of  the  body  in  order  to  secure  greater  hoHness 
and  a  fuller  acceptance  with  God  who  do  not  give  up, 
in  whole  or  in  part,  consciously  or  unconsciously,  the 
completeness  of  redemption  in  Christ  Jesus. 

It  was  thus   with  the  Colossians.     Their  hold  on 
Christ  the  Head  and  the  source  of  all  good  relaxed  as 


70  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

their  attachment  to  forms  and  external  observances  in- 
creased. The  reahty  gave  way  to  the  shadow,  the  sub- 
stance was  buried  beneath  multitudinous  ceremonies, 
as  always  happens  with  ritualistic  practices.  Christ 
will  suffer  nothing  to  become  His  ally,  much  less  His 
rival.  He  must  be  all  or  nothing.  Why  should  men 
so  readily  run  to  wearisome  rites  for  spiritual  help  ? 
If  we  have  the  kernel,  why  seek  to  feed  our  starving 
natures  on  husks  ?  If  we  may  have  Christ  with  His 
perfections,  why  turn  back  again  to  the  weak  and  beg- 
garly elements  that  cannot  satisfy  ?  To  set  the  heart 
on  anything  except  the  blessed  Lord  Himself  is  dis- 
loyalty to  Him. 

3.     Worship  of  Angels  (v.  18). 

According  to  the  Scriptures  angels  hold  a  lofty  place 
and  discharge  important  functions  in  God's  govern- 
ment of  the  world.  They  excel  in  strength,  and  exe- 
cute the  divine  behests  (Ps.  ciii :  20,  21).  The  law  was 
ordained  by  angels  in  the  hand  of  a  mediator  (Gal. 
iii  :  19,  cf.  Acts  vii :  53).  They  are  ministering  spirits 
sent  forth  to  do  service  for  the  heirs  of  salvation 
(Heb.  i :  14).  They  seem  to  be  the  agents  of  Divine 
Providence,  and  have  a  greater  part  in  human  affairs 
than  is  commonly  assigned  them.  They  rule  and 
shape  individual  lives  and  the  course  of  nations  (Dan. 
iv:i-i8;  ix-x;  Acts  v:  17-24;  xii  11-19;  xxvii : 
21-26).  In  short,  it  is  difficult  if  not  impossible  to  de- 
fine the  influence  which  these  superhuman  creatures 
exert  in  the  affairs  of  the  world. 

It  is  one  thing  to  recognize  the  presence  and  influ- 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSIANS  7 1 

ence  of  angels  in  human  life,  it  is  quite  another  thing 
to  pay  them  divine  homage.  But  this  was  actually 
done  at  Colossae ;  it  is  now  done  by  vast  multitudes  of 
nominal  Christians.  Instead  of  messengers  sent  to  do 
God's  will,  they  are  worshipped  as  mediators  ;  instead 
of  attendants,  they  are  made  protectors  of  the  individ- 
ual, the  city,  or  the  nation.  In  Romanism  the  place 
which  is  held  by  angels  and  saints  in  the  worship,  and 
the  love  of  milHons  is  almost  incredible.  The  ejacula- 
tory  prayers  which  one  so  often  hears  on  the  lips  of 
the  Italians  are,  in  almost  every  instance,  addressed  to 
creatures,  scarcely  ever  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  or  to 
the  Father.  The  writer  has  often  heard  in  Italy  the 
appeal,  "  O  Saint  Anthony,  save  us."  When  asked 
what  Anthony  was  meant,  and  why  he  should  be  in- 
voked rather  than  some  other  saint,  the  answer  was, 
"  Saint  Anthony  of  Padua,  of  course,  for  he  has 
authority  to  bestow  fourteen  graces  (favours)  every 
day."  The  cry  for  help  to  Maria  Santissima  is  uni- 
versal. Nothing  can  happen  in  the  devout  Italian's 
hfe,  no  exigency  or  trouble  can  arise,  without  the  in- 
vocation of  the  Virgin's  succour.  Peter  and  Paul  are 
the  tutelary  divinities  of  Papal  Rome,  nor  is  there  a 
town  or  a  hamlet,  a  trade  or  an  occupation  but  has  its 
patron  saint  or  guardian  angel.  So,  too,  each  man, 
woman,  and  child  has  such  guardian.  The  very  bri- 
gands of  the  Abruzzi  wear  on  their  persons  beneath 
their  clothing  the  images  of  saints  who  are  expected 
to  protect  them  from  the  soldiers  and  police  of  the 
government. 

The  homage  paid  these  creatures  is  justified  on  two 


f  2  OUTLINE  STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

grounds :  (a)  "  Voluntary  humility."  This  phrase  is 
confessedly  difficult,  but  the  meaning  which  commends 
itself  to  us  is  this ;  an  affected  humility ;  one  that 
springs  from  the  will,  having  no  warrant  for  itself  but 
the  will ;  one  that  is  assumed  for  a  purpose,  viz.,  that 
of  robbing  the  believer  of  his  prize.  No  doubt  the 
defense  of  the  practice  was,  that  God  is  too  transcend- 
ently  holy  and  pure  to  be  accessible;  that  sinners 
should  not  presume  to  approach  into  His  august  pres- 
ence without  an  intermediary  who  is  at  once  God's  in- 
ferior and  hence  nearer  us,  as  saints  and  angels  are. 
(d)  Pretended  visions,  and  intercourse  with  invisible 
beings.  The  false  teacher  at  Colossae  based  his  doc- 
trine on  what  he  had  seen  or  thought  he  had  seen  of 
the  invisible  world.  He  claimed  he  had  revelations 
from  the  spirit  world ;  hence  his  teaching  had  a  show 
of  authority.  It  is  remarkable  that  just  such  reasons 
are  alleged  in  behalf  of  the  worship  of  saints,  and  of 
spiritism.  The  devout  Romanist  prays  to  his  guard- 
ian saint  or  angel  that  he  may  intercede  for  him  with 
the  infinite  God.  The  medium  claims  to  see  and  hear 
what  others  are  deprived  of,  spirits  and  spirit  voices. 

At  bottom,  all  this  is  sheer  idolatry.  It  matters  ht- 
tle  whether  I  pray  to  Gabriel  or  Anthony  of  Padua,  to 
the  Madonna  or  to  the  Buddha,  I  am  serving  the 
creature  rather  than  the  Creator.  I  am  exalting  the 
creature  into  the  place  and  seat  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  And  thereby  Christ  is  dishonoured.  I  do  not 
"  hold  fast  the  Head  from  whom  all  the  body,  being 
supplied  and  knit  together  through  the  joints  and 
bands,   increaseth  with   the  increase  of  God."     The 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSI ANS  73 

profound  remark  of  the  Jansenist,  Quesnel,  is  well 
worth  recording :  "  Angels  will  always  win  the  day 
over  Jesus  Christ  despised  and  crucified  if  the  choice 
of  a  mediator  between  us  and  God  is  left  to  the  vanity 
of  the  human  mind."  The  history  of  degenerate 
Christianity  corroborates  the  truthfulness  of  the  state- 
ment. 

Angels  sternly  interdict  worship  of  themselves. 
"  See  thou  do  it  not :  I  am  a  fellow  servant  with  thee 
and  with  thy  brethren  the  prophets,  and  with  them 
that  keep  the  words  of  this  book :  worship  God " 
(Rev.  xxii :  8,  9). 

4.  Asceticism  (vs.  20-22). 
There  was  an  effort  to  impose  various  observances 
and  ordinances  on  these  Christians.  Bodily  austerities 
took  the  place  of  simple  faith  and  joy  in  the  Lord. 
The  vain  philosophy  of  the  errorists  logically  led  to 
the  sternest  repression  of  the  natural  appetites  and  de- 
sires. They  believed  matter  to  be  essentially  evil. 
The  body  is  the  source  of  sin.  It  must  be  disciphned, 
denied,  starved,  flogged,  if  need  be.  The  cry  of  the 
ascetic  was,  "  Abstain,  abstain,  abstain  ! "  Paul  gives 
his  very  words  :  "  Handle  not,  nor  taste,  nor  touch  " 
(r.  v.).  This  seems  to  be  the  true  order  of  the 
words.  There  is  a  gradual  descent  of  language,  a  cli- 
max of  prohibition.  But  as  one  has  observed,  "  with 
a  descent  of  language,  there  is  an  ascent  of  supersti- 
tion." "  Pride  may  be  pampered  while  the  flesh 
grows  lean."  Some  of  the  most  arrogant,  intolerant 
of  men  were  those  who  wore  hair-shirts,  who  scrupu- 


74  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

lously  abstained  from  certain  kinds  of  food,  who 
scourged  themselves  with  knotted  thongs,  and  yet  who 
burnt  to  ashes  some  of  God's  children.  The  self-com- 
placent and  scornful  Pharisee  of  the  parable  is  the 
type  of  this  class  (Luke  xviii :  9-14)- 

Asceticism  is  utterly  powerless  to  effect  the  object 
aimed  at :  it  does  not,  it  cannot  sanctify  the  flesh.  It 
has  a  show  of  wisdom.  It  is  extravagant  in  its  pre- 
tensions and  loud  in  its  promises.  But  it  never  fulfills 
them.  The  apostle  here  declares  that  it  has  no  value 
against  the  indulgence  of  the  flesh  (v.  23).  It,  rather, 
stimulates  the  appetites  and  passions  it  is  meant  to 
extirpate.  Asceticism  has  often  proved  to  be  a  hot- 
bed of  vice.  Some  of  the  vilest  men  have  been  found 
among  those  who  advocated  the  strictest  austerities. 
They  denounced  the  hoHest  of  human  associations, 
and  branded  as  sensual  the  purest  relations.  Marriage 
was  degraded,  celibacy  glorified,  the  family  disparaged, 
domestic  hfe  despised.  And  some  of  these  foes  of 
truth  have  been  canonized ! 

Asceticism  does  not  touch  the  seat  of  sin.  All  its 
strength  is  exerted  against  the  body.  Sin  is  of  the 
soul,  has  its  seat  in  the  soul.  So  long  as  the  heart  is 
corrupt,  no  bodily  restraints  will  make  the  life  holy. 
There  is  one  remedy  alone  for  human  sin,  one  that 
reaches  to  its  roots,  that  ultimately  will  totally  destroy 
it,  viz.,  the  blood  of  Christ  (i  John  i :  7). 

The  Colossian  Heresy  has  thus  been  examined  at 
some  length.  It  seems  needful  to  dwell  on  it  in  order 
to  understand  the  full  import  of  the  epistle.  Besides, 
it  is  by  no  means  a  dead  heresy.     The  very  things 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSI ANS  75 

against  which  Paul  argues  and  warns  and  pleads  are 
now  cherished  by  multitudes  of  professing  Christians. 
Legalism,  ritualism,  a  deceitful  philosophy,  spurious 
revelations  and  visions,  holy  days  and  feasts — how 
rankly  they  flourish !  An  evolutionary  hypothesis 
which  excludes  the  supernatural ;  God  shut  out  of 
His  own  universe  ;  Demonology  and  Mariolatry ;  false 
prophets  and  soothsayers ;  will  worship  and  necro- 
mancy ;  together  with  missionary  zeal,  devotion  to  the 
Person  and  finished  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
unquestioning  confidence  in  the  word  of  God — all 
these,  and  much  more,  are  found  side  by  side  in  our 
day  and  country,  and  struggle  for  the  mastery.  "  Let 
no  man  judge  you  ";  "  Let  no  man  rob  you" — the 
appeal  and  challenge  are  as  pertinent  and  needful  in 
this  twentieth  century  as  in  the  first.  The  same 
dangers  threaten  and  the  same  vigilance  is  required 
now  as  then.  In  fact,  there  is  hardly  a  form  of 
modern  skepticism  or  mysticism,  however  extravagant, 
that  does  not  have  its  counterpart  or  its  germs  in  the 
apostolic  age.  It  is  this  remarkable  feature  which  in- 
vests the  Scripture  with  such  modernness.  The  errors 
and  misbeHefs  with  which  the  New  Testament  deals 
are  ever  reproducing  themselves.  They  reappear  in 
every  generation,  to  vex  the  soul  of  the  righteous. 
Thank  God,  the  righteous  man  has  an  unerring  guide, 
an  infallible  standard  of  judgment,  the  Word  of  God. 
Let  him  adhere  to  it — ruat  ccelum  ! 

Turn  we  now  to  the  infinite  perfections  that  are  in 
Christ,  perfections  that  meet  every  want,  supply  every 
lack,  and  that  set  the  believer  beyond  the  need  of 


76  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

earthly  dependencies.  "  And  ye  are  complete  in  Him, 
who  is  the  head  of  all  principality  and  power  "  (ii:  lo). 
The  word  "complete"  is  emphatic.  It  is  of  the  same 
derivation  and  of  the  like  import  as  the  term  fullness  in 
verse  9.  To  express  its  meaning  more  than  one  transla- 
tion has  been  suggested,  as,  e.  g.,  "  in  Him  ye  are  made 
full "  (r.  v.)  ;  "  ye  are  perfect  in  Him  " ;  "  ye  are  filled 
full  in  Him " ;  "  ye  are  in  Him  fulfilled."  To  be 
complete  in  Christ  is  to  be  finished,  suppHed  as  from 
an  inexhaustible  source,  with  all  blessings  and  per- 
fections. Men  are  as  empty  vessels  in  themselves; 
they  are  filled  full  in  their  union  with  Him,  and  have 
need  of  nothing.  In  Christ  dwelleth  all  the  fullness  of 
the  Godhead  bodily.  He  wields  all  the  power  of  the 
Lord  God  ;  He  is  the  Creator  of  the  universe,  and  He 
holds  all  worlds  and  creatures  in  being;  He  is  the 
Head  of  the  body,  the  Church ;  He  is  the  Head  also 
of  all  principality  and  power ;  and  He  has  the  pre- 
eminence in  all  things.  How  can  it  be  otherwise  but 
that  they  who  are  in  union  with  Him  should  be  com- 
plete, finished,  furnished,  perfect  ?  No  more  certainly 
does  the  parent  stem  pour  its  vital  juices  into  the 
branches,  filling  them  with  life  and  foliage  and  fruit, 
than  does  the  Lord  Jesus  quicken  and  enrich  with  His 
own  fullness  His  members.  His  body.  He  gives  them 
eternal  Hfe  (John  x  :  28,  29).  He  gives  them  a  spotless 
and  divine  righteousness,  even  the  righteousness  of 
God,  so  that  therein  they  stand  before  God  with  the 
same  measure  of  acceptance  and  holiness  as  Christ 
Himself  (2  Cor.  v :  21  ;  i  Cor.  i :  30,  31).  He  delivers 
them    from    condemnation,   gives   them   God's    own 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   COLOSSIANS  7/ 

peace,  and  will  at  length  clear  them  of  every  stain  and 
taint  of  sin  (Rom.  v :  i  ;  viii  :  i  ;  i  John  i :  7 ;  Rev.  vii : 
13-17).  Sin  has  bHghted  and  dwarfed  us.  We  are 
stinted  in  intellect,  shrivelled  in  soul.  We  are  en- 
feebled by  our  infirmities,  hindered  and  cramped  by 
our  Hmitations.  The  most  towering  mind  among  the 
saints  is  but  one-sided,  partial,  great  only  in  certain 
directions,  not  universally  nor  symmetrically  perfect. 
But  they  are  in  Christ,  and  therefore  their  absolute 
perfection  is  secured.  God  will  fashion  them  at  length 
into  grandly  unfolded  souls,  with  faculties  complete 
and  powers  full  grown.  He  will  swing  their  beings 
into  as  high  forces  as  the  finite  can  attain.  They  are 
to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  His  Son.  Their 
bodies  of  humiliation  are  to  be  fashioned  anew  into 
conformity  with  the  glorious  body  of  Christ  Himself. 
They  bear  the  image  of  the  earthly  now ;  they  shall  bear 
the  image  of  the  heavenly  by  and  by.  What  will  that 
be  but  the  completing,  the  finishing  and  fulfilling  of 
their  whole  being  even  as  God  intends  it  shall 
be? 

This  is  the  inspired  answer  to  the  craving  for  per- 
fection. It  is  the  divine  antidote  for  the  devices  and 
deceits  of  men  who  would  persuade  us  that  by  mortifi- 
cations of  the  body  and  ritualistic  observances,  by  the 
invocation  of  saints  and  cries  for  angelic  succour,  we 
may  free  ourselves  from  sin.  The  Holy  Spirit  solemnly 
says  to  us,  You  have  Christ :  is  He  not  enough  ? 
Can  any  creature,  any  human  ordinance  supplement 
His  finished  redemption?  Can  the  highest  angel, 
Michael   or   Gabriel;  can   the   most   honoured  saint. 


78  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

Mary  or  Joseph,  Paul  or  Peter,  do  for  me  what  Christ 
has  pledged  His  word  to  perform  ?  "  Ye  are  in  Him 
complete,  made  full,  finished  and  furnished  forever." 
Be  content  with  Christ ! 


THE  EPISTLES  TO  THE  THESSALONIANS 

The  primitive  name  of  the  city  to  which  Paul 
addressed  two  epistles  was  Therma — so  called  from 
the  warm  mineral  springs  in  its  vicinity.  It  received 
its  more  recent  name  from  Thessalonica,  daughter  of 
Philip  of  Macedon  and  sister  of  Alexander  the  Great. 
Her  husband,  Cassander,  enlarged  and  beautified  the 
place  and  called  it  after  his  royal  wife,  Thessalonica. 
The  name  originated,  it  is  believed,  from  one  of  Philip's 
victories  over  his  neighbours  of  Thessaly.  Its  modern 
name  is  but  a  shortened  form  of  the  ancient  one — 
Salonica,  or  Saloniki.  It  has  a  population  estimated 
at  70,000,  a  large  portion  of  whom,  perhaps  one  third, 
are  Jews. 

Thessalonica  is  situated  on  the  Thermean  gulf,  and 
on  the  great  military  road,  Via  Egnatia,  which  con- 
nected Rome  with  its  eastern  dependencies.  This 
highway  led  from  the  Adriatic  seashore  to  Thessa- 
lonica, Philippi,  and  thence  onward  through  Neapolis 
to  the  Bosphorus.  The  geographical  situation  of 
Thessalonica  was  central  and  commanding.  Cicero 
describes  it  as  "  lying  in  the  lap  of  our  empire."  It 
was  along  the  great  military  highway  Paul  travelled 
from  Philippi  to  Thessalonica  and  Beroea.  In  entering 
Europe  by  this  splendid  road  the  apostle  was  brought 
more  directly  under  the  shadow  of  the  Roman  Empire 
than  ever  before.  Along  it  officers  of  state,  legiona- 
ries, envoys,  and  tributaries  were  constantly  passing  and 

79 


80  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

repassing.  The  Christian  missionaries  could  hardly 
fail  to  encounter  the  representatives  of  the  world-rul- 
ing city  almost  every  hour  of  their  journey,  and  they 
would  be  deeply  impressed  with  its  power  and  its 
splendour.  Two  towns  of  some  importance  lay  be- 
tween PhiHppi  and  Thessalonica,  Amphipolis  and 
ApoUonia.  These  Paul  and  his  companions  "  passed 
through,"  making  no  effort,  it  seems,  to  preach  the 
Gospel  to  their  inhabitants.  For  it  was  the  prevailing 
policy  of  the  apostles  to  establish  the  Church  in  radi- 
ating centres.  It  was  first  planted  in  Jerusalem,  then 
it  went  ere  long  to  the  Syrian  Antioch,  thence  to 
Cyprus,  to  the  Pisidian  Antioch,  to  Philippi,  Thessa- 
lonica, Corinth,  Ephesus,  Rome.  The  smaller  and  less 
important  places  could  be  reached  by  the  Gospel  from 
the  great  centres  where  the  Church  was  already  es- 
tablished. 

The  record  of  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  this 
centre  is  found  in  Acts  xvii :  1-9,  and  in  the  two 
epistles  addressed  to  the  Thessalonians.  The  success 
attending  the  apostolic  testimony  was  remarkable. 
Some  converts  were  made  from  among  the  Jews,  but 
far  more  from  the  Gentiles  (Acts  xvii :  4).  Among 
the  latter  were  women  of  rank  and  position.  The 
first  convert  to  Christianity  in  Macedonia  was  a  woman, 
Lydia,  at  Philippi.  Here  also  women  "not  a  few" 
became  Christians.  The  Thessalonian  Church  seems 
to  have  been  composed  very  largely  of  Gentile  believ- 
ers. In  I  Thess.  i :  9,  Paul  speaks  as  though  the 
whole  Church  had  been  idolaters — "  Ye  turned  from 
idols  to  God,  to  serve  the  living  and  true  God." 


THE   EPISTLES   TO    THE   THESSALONIANS  8 1 

It  is  somewhat  difficult  to  determine  the  length  of 
time  Paul  spent  in  the  city.  Acts  xvii :  2  mentions 
his  preaching  "  three  Sabbath  days."  Obviously  this 
was  in  the  synagogue.  On  its  face,  the  account  in 
Acts  makes  Paul's  sojourn  one  of  only  three  weeks' 
duration.  This  might  be  but  fourteen  or  fifteen  days ; 
or  twenty-one,  or  at  utmost,  twenty-seven  days.  The 
number  of  days  would  depend  upon  the  day  of  the 
week  of  his  arrival.  But  of  this  there  is  no  clue,  and 
conjecture  is  useless.  Three  weeks  seem  an  incredibly 
short  time  for  the  accomplishment  of  such  marvellous 
results.  But  even  if  the  statement  be  literally  pressed, 
the  achievements  of  the  Gospel  in  Thessalonica  are 
not  impossible.  We  who  witness  the  slow  growth  of 
Christianity  on  heathen  soil  are  not  to  guage  the 
power  of  apostolic  preaching  by  our  experience  and 
observation.  Supernatural  energy  accompanied  its 
proclamation  by  Paul  in  a  way  and  to  an  extent  not 
now  enjoyed  (i  Thess.  i:  5-10;  ii :  1-4).  In  the  dif- 
fusion of  the  Gospel  throughout  the  world  it  was  need- 
ful that  it  should  be  so.  The  Lord  wTought  with  His 
servants  in  those  days  by  the  exhibition  of  His  al- 
mighty power,  that  His  word  might  have  free  course, 
that  His  salvation  might  be  known  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth,  and  that  His  name  might  be  glorified.  History 
records  instances  in  modern  times  of  wonderful  results 
following  the  testimony  of  the  missionary,  as  for  ex- 
ample, the  work  of  Titus  Coan,  in  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  and  of  Clough  in  India.  But  the  time  of  the 
latter  witness  was  much  longer. 

But  it  is  not  absolutely  needful  that  we  limit  Paul's 


82  OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

sojourn  to  three  weeks.  The  language  of  Luke  in  the 
Acts  is  indefinite  enough  to  permit  the  view  that  it 
was  in  the  synagogue  that  he  preached  those  three 
Sabbath  days,  that  he  afterwards  may  have  continued 
his  labour  at  some  other  place  in  the  city  for  a  longer 
time.  His  words  in  i  Thess.  ii :  9 — •'  labouring  night 
and  day,  because  we  would  not  be  chargeable  unto 
any  of  you  " — appear  to  suggest  a  longer  stay  than 
the  three  weeks.  Besides,  in  Phil,  iv :  16,  he  writes, 
"  for  even  in  Thessalonica  ye  sent  once  and  again  to 
my  necessity."  The  distance  between  Philippi  and 
Thessalonica  is  about  one  hundred  miles.  It  is  not 
probable  that  the  Philippians  w^ould  either  have  been 
able  or  felt  bound  to  send  supplies  to  the  apostle  twice 
in  three  weeks.  Accordingly,  the  majority  of  inter- 
preters limit  the  *'  three  Sabbaths  "  to  his  work  in  the 
synagogue,  and  think  that  he  spent  much  more  time 
among  the  heathen  population,  perhaps  as  much  as 
two  months  or  more. 

The  Epistles  to  the  Thessalonians  were  written  from 
Corinth,  not  from  Athens,  as  the  King  James  version 
in  its  subscription  asserts  (see  close  of  both  epistles). 
The  date  "  from  Athens  "  appears  to  have  arisen  from 
a  misapprehension  or  misapplication  of  Paul's  words 
in  I  Thess.  iii :  i.  He  was  not  at  Athens  when  he 
wrote  those  words,  as  seems  to  be  the  inference  by 
those  who  inserted  the  subscription  referred  to.  It 
should  be  borne  in  mind  that  such  subscriptions  are 
not  part  of  Scripture.  They  were  inserted  by  copyists 
or  by  somebody  else,  and  while  generally  accurate 
they  are  sometimes  erroneous.     The  date  of  the  epistles 


THE    EPISTLES    TO    THE    THESSALONIANS  83 

is  either  a.  d.  51-52,  or  52-53.  They  were  written 
therefore  some  twenty-two  years  after  the  ascension  of 
the  Saviour,  within  a  couple  of  years  of  the  death  of 
the  Emperor  Claudius,  some  five  years  before  Romans 
was  written,  and  about  seventeen  years  before  the  fall 
of  Jerusalem. 

These  are  the  first  apostolic  letters  Paul  wrote.  A 
peculiar  interest  on  this  account  attaches  to  them. 
His  last  (2  Timothy)  was  sent  from  his  prison  in 
Rome  shortly  before  his  martyrdom.  Fourteen  or 
fifteen  years  he  between  the  two.  And  yet  the  same 
marks  which  distinguished  the  very  last  are  found  in 
the  very  first.  In  doctrinal  teaching  and  in  the 
energy  of  speech  for  which  Paul  is  remarkable,  and 
particularly  in  the  prevision  of  the  world's  great  crisis, 
in  the  antagonism  between  good  and  evil  and  its  out- 
come, in  the  mighty  conflict  waged  between  Christ 
and  Satan,  and  in  the  glorious  victory  He  shall  win 
over  the  adversary,  the  Thessalonian  epistles  and 
those  addressed  to  Timothy  are  closely  akin.  The 
Blessed  Hope,  the  Lord's  coming,  is  prominent  in 
both.  The  predictions  of  "  The  Man  of  Sin  "  (2  Thess. 
ii),  and  the  prophecy  of  the  '*  Last  Times  "  (2  Tim.  iii), 
are  counterparts  and  complements,  the  two  sides  of  the 
same  dark  events.  He  who  wrote  Thessalonians  wrote 
also  the  letters  to  Timothy.  Apostolic  men  intro- 
duced something  absolutely  new  in  letter  writing. 
Roman  and  Greek  literary  men  wrote  letters  on  a 
multitude  of  topics  in  the  middle  of  the  first  century. 
But  how  widely  such  epistles  differ  from  those  of  the 
New   Testament    those    acquainted   with   them   well 


84  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

know.  There  is  an  infinite  distance  between  the  ad- 
dress and  greeting  of  the  Scripture  Epistles  and  the 
letters  of  heathen  contemporaneous  writers  : — "  Claud- 
ias  Lysias  unto  the  most  excellent  governor  Felix, 
greeting  "  :  "  Paul  and  Silvanus  and  Timothy  unto  the 
church  of  the  Thessalonians  in  God  the  Father  and 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  Grace  be  unto  you  and  peace." 
The  difference  between  these  two  forms  of  address 
measures  the  distance  and  the  difference  between  pa- 
ganism and  Christianity. 

Were  Silas  and  Timothy  joint  authors  with  Paul  in 
the  composition  of  these  epistles  ?  Probably  not. 
For,  while  the  plural  personal  pronouns,  we,  us,  our, 
very  frequently  occur,  yet  the  singular  /  is  found  again 
and  again,  so  that  no  argument  can  be  drawn  from  the 
use  of  the  plural  form.  Here  is  a  sentence  that  seems 
decisive  on  the  point :  "  Wherefore  we  would  have 
come  unto  you,  even  I  Paul,  once  and  again ;  but 
Satan  hindered  us  "  (ii :  18;  cf.  iii :  i).  Here  the  pro- 
noun "  we  "  is  evidently  restricted  to  Paul.  Besides, 
2  Thess.  closes  with  this  very  personal  greeting  :  "  The 
salutation  of  Paul  with  mine  own  hand,  which  is  the 
token  in  every  epistle;  so  I  write."  His  autograph 
was  the  sign-manual  of  the  authorship  of  his  epistles. 
He  thus  authenticated  each.  It  is  not  at  all  likely  that 
he  would  have  thus  affixed  his  autograph  to  the 
epistle  if  he  had  only  had  a  part  in  its  composition,  if 
Silvanus  and  Timothy  were  joint  writers  of  it  with 
himself.  The  two  were  associated  with  Paul  only  in 
the  address,  and  their  names  are  introduced  because 
they  were  with  him  when  he  wrote  the  epistles,  and  they 


THE   EPISTLES   TO   THE   THESSALONIANS  85 

were  fellow  missionaries  with  himself  in  preaching  the 
Gospel  at  Thessalonica.  Silas  is  named  first  because 
he  was  likely  the  older,  and  he  was  recognized  at  Jeru- 
salem as  a  prophet  (Acts  xv :  32).  We  never  hear  of 
him  after  this  time.  Timothy  remained  with  the 
apostle,  a  trusted  and  faithful  friend,  to  the  end. 

I.  The  occasion  of  the  writing  of  Thessalonians. — 
Several  things  required  immediate  attention  in  this 
very  earnest  but  immature  assembly  of  behevers.  As 
Paul  was  unable  to  visit  them  in  person  he  addressed 
them  in  these  letters  and  corrected  what  needed 
amendment,  and  gave  instruction  touching  matters  that 
perplexed  and  troubled  them.  There  was  a  disposition 
on  the  part  of  some  to  neglect  their  daily  work  (i  Thess. 
iv  :  1 1,  12  ;  2  Thess.  iii :  10-12).  Idleness  is  sharply  re- 
buked. If  Paul's  comprehensive  rule  were  observed, 
viz. — "  this  we  commanded  you,  that  if  any  would  not 
work,  neither  should  he  eat" — it  would  effectually  set- 
tle many  a  strife  between  labour  and  capital,  for  it  ap- 
plies as  well  to  employer  as  to  employee.  They  were 
in  danger  of  becoming  discouraged  and  faint-hearted 
because  of  their  sufferings  as  Christians,  and  he  writes 
to  quiet  their  fears  and  to  pour  fresh  courage  into 
their  hearts  (i  Thess.  iii :  1-8).  They  were  distressed 
by  the  death  of  some  of  their  fellow  believers  ;  they 
feared  those  who  had  fallen  asleep  should  lose  their 
part  in  the  coming  kingdom,  and  he  corrects  their 
error,  and  soothes  their  grief.  They  needed  warning 
and  exhortation  as  to  the  perils  arising  from  their 
former  life  of  unrestrained  license,  and  from  the  im- 
purities  that   are   always    associated   with   idolatrous 


86  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

practices  (iv :  i-8).  Besides,  Paul  writes  because  the 
welcome  tidings  brought  by  Timothy  had  filled  his 
soul  with  great  joy  (iii  :  6-8). 

The  occasion  of  2  Thess.  was  the  strange  mistake 
into  which  the  saints  had  fallen,  viz.,  that  the  day  of 
the  Lord  had  already  set  in,  and  yet  deliverance  had 
not  come,  suffering  was  still  their  lot  (2  Thess.  ii). 
This  serious  error  must  be  at  once  corrected  :  hence 
2  Thessalonians.  A  few  months,  no  more  than  six,  in- 
tervened between  the  two  letters. 

II.  Characteristics  of  the  epistles. — They  are  marked 
by  great  simplicity  and  affection.  A  strong  bond 
united  the  apostle  to  these  saints.  They  might  be  im- 
mature in  their  Christian  experience,  they  might  not  be 
noted  for  depth  of  doctrine  or  of  knowledge  in  divine 
things,  nevertheless  they  were  warm-hearted,  enthusi- 
astic, and  devoted.  Paul  expresses  his  satisfaction 
with  them  and  his  comfort  because  of  their  faith  and 
faithfulness.  It  is  also  noteworthy  that  the  antago- 
nism is  different.  The  opposition  is  confined  to  unbe- 
lieving Jews.  We  hear  nothing  scarcely  of  heathen 
enmity,  and  nothing  of  Judaizers.  Later  epistles  are 
full  of  Paul's  conflict  with  Jewish  Christian  teaching 
which  tended  to  graft  Christianity  upon  Judaism. 
Here  it  is  absent.  This  fact  establishes  the  early  date 
of  these  letters.  They  are  earlier  by  five  or  six  years 
than  Galatians,  by  ten  years  than  Colossians,  by  some 
ten  years  than  Hebrews.  It  may  be  noted  also  that 
there  are  no  direct  quotations  from  the  Old  Testament 
in  them.  Paul  is  here  addressing  Gentile  converts, 
and  hence  does  not  employ  the  older  Scriptures  to  in- 


THE   EPISTLES    TO    THE   THESSALONIANS  8/ 

struct,  and  to  illustrate  his  teaching,  for  no  doubt  they 
were  not  familiar  with  them.  He  has  allusions  to 
them  certainly,  and  he  often  employs  words  and 
phrases  with  which  the  Greek  version  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament abounds,  but  direct  citation  there  is  none. 
The  nearest  approach  occurs  in  his  prediction  of  the 
Man  of  Sin  (2  Thess.  ii)  which  closely  approximates 
Daniel's  great  revelation  of  this  adversary,  yet  he  does 
not  quote  the  prophet  of  the  Babylonian  Exile. 

III.  Christian  doctrine  and  church  life. — The  main 
object  of  the  apostle  in  these  epistles  is  not  to  teach 
doctrine,  his  aim  is  chiefly  practical  and  hortatory ;  he 
deals  with  matters  of  present  and  vital  interest  to  the 
Thessalonian  saints.  Hence  the  formal  statement  of 
doctrine  is  absent  from  these  letters.  The  state 
of  this  church  did  not  require  such  discussion,  as  did 
the  churches  of  Galatia  and  Colossae.  Nevertheless, 
the  system  of  truth  embodied  in  Christianity  is  here 
found  in  all  its  essential  features.  Every  cardinal 
doctrine  of  our  holy  faith  appears  in  them.  And  the 
fact  that  these  doctrines  are  introduced  naturally  and 
almost  incidentally  adds  immensely  to  their  weight  and 
value.     Some  of  them  may  be  briefly  pointed  out. 

I.  The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  (i :  1-5). — The 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  are  mentioned 
again  and  again,  not  as  separate  and  distinct  Deities, 
but  as  the  one  holy  and  supreme  God  who  subsists  in 
three  Persons.  Moreover,  the  functions  of  the  Divine 
Persons  in  the  great  work  of  redemption  are  recog- 
nized, e.  g.,  the  Father  chooses  and  calls  men  into 
eternal  life ;  the  Son  atones  for  their  guilt ;  the  Holy 


88  OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

Spirit  applies  redemption  to  them,  secures  their  fellow- 
ship with  God  through  Christ  and  their  personal  hoh- 
ness. 

(i)  Of  God  the  Father. — He  is  the  true  object  of 
worship  (i  Thess.  i :  9).  He  chose  the  saints  for  salva- 
tion (2  Thess.  ii :  16).  He  called  them  through  the 
Gospel  (2  Thess.  ii :  14).  The  apostolic  message  is 
God's  (i  Thess.  ii :  13).  He  gives  believers  the  Spirit 
(i  Thess.  iv:  8).  He  loves  and  comforts  His  people 
(2  Thess.  ii :  16). 

(2)  The  doctrine  of  Christ. — It  is  very  prominent, 
is  indeed  central  in  these  Scriptures.  He  is  called 
Lord.  More  than  forty  times  is  this  supreme  title 
given  Him,  and  the  inference  from  many  of  them  is 
unmistakable  that  Paul  regarded  the  Lord  Jesus  as 
Divine  in  the  truest  and  highest  sense,  the  equal  of  the 
Father.  The  Old  Testament  language  about  Jehovah 
is  apphed  to  Him  (i  Thess.  v:  2).  He  is  God's  Son 
(i :  10);  He  is  united  with  the  Father  as  the  mysteri- 
ous source  of  life  both  for  the  hving  and  the  dead 
(i :  I  ;  ii :  14;  iv :  16).  He  is  one  with  the  Father  as 
the  supreme  object  of  prayer,  and  with  the  Father  He 
bestows  temporal  and  spiritual  good  (iii :  11-13; 
2  Thess.  ii :  16,  17).  His  vicarious  death  is  affirmed 
(i  Thess.  v:  9,  10).  His  resurrection  is  taught 
(iv:  14);  and  it  is  by  His  power  sleeping  saints  are  to 
be  raised  from  the  dead,  and  hving  believers  be  trans- 
formed (iv:  16,  17).  His  second  advent  is  taught  in 
the  most  explicit  and  repeated  form.  It  is  affirmed  in 
every  chapter  of  the  first  epistle,  while  2  Thess.  ii  is 
almost  wholly  devoted  to  it.     We  are  even  told  that 


THE   EPISTLES   TO    THE   THESSALONIANS  89 

the  conversion  of  these  Thessalonian  Christians  was 
to  serve  the  hving  God  and  to  wait  for  His  Son  from 
heaven.  The  Christology  of  the  New  Testament  is 
found  either  revealed  in  full  or  in  germ  in  these  let- 
ters. Later  Scripture  contains  nothing  different  and 
nothing  that  is  essentially  new  on  this  subject. 

(3)  The  doctrine  of  the  Spirit. — His  personality, 
His  work,  and  His  gifts  are  distinctly  brought  to  view 
in  these  epistles  (i :  5,  6 ;  iv  :  8  ;  v  :  19  ;  2  Thess.  ii :  1 3). 
From  these  and  the  like  passages  we  learn  that  it  is  by 
the  Spirit  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  is  made  effect- 
ive to  salvation ;  that  the  Spirit  is  given  to  all  Chris- 
tians to  enable  them  to  conquer  evil,  to  rejoice  even 
under  persecution,  that  their  sanctification  may  be 
secured,  and  we  are  taught  that  He  may  be  hindered 
in  His  work. 

2.  Redemption. — All  the  essential  features  of  sal- 
vation are  here  made  prominent  on  both  the  Divine 
and  the  human  sides. 

{a)  Election  (i :  4 ;  2  Thess.  ii :  1 3). 
(J?)  Our  salvation  is  through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
(v:9). 

(c)  Salvation  is  brought  to  men  through  the  Gospel 

(ii-4,  9,  13). 

{d)  It  is  received  by  faith  (i :  3  ;  ii :  1 3  ;  2  Thess.  1:3). 
(e)  Conversion  (i :  9,  10). 

(/)  Sanctification  (iv  :  1-7  ;  v  :  22  ;  2  Thess.  ii :  13). 
{g)  Resurrection  of  the  body  (iv  :  13-18). 

3.  Eternal  punishment  of  the  ungodly  and  impeni- 
tent is  here  taught  (2  Thess.  i :  5-10). — Besides,  some 
four  times  express  mention  is  made  of  Satan  (ii :  18; 


90  OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

iii :  5  ;  2  Thess.  ii :  9 ;  iii :  3  (r.  v.).  2  Thess.  ii  is  de- 
voted almost  entirely  to  the  mystery  of  lawlessness,  to 
the  coming  apostasy,  and  to  the  Man  of  Sin  whose 
blasphemous  career  should  be  cut  short  by  the  per- 
sonal advent  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Thus  the 
epistles  are  not  silent  on  the  darker  themes  of  revela- 
tion, Satan,  sin,  and  judgment. 

4.  The  moral  and  social  teaching. — This  limits  it- 
self to  what  more  closely  concerned  these  Christians. 
The  apostle  deals  with  that  which  required  his  in- 
structions or  his  censure,  with  what  prevailed  among 
them  and  threatened  their  characters  and  their  testi- 
mony, with  habits  and  tendencies  which  hindered  their 
peace  and  growth,  and  endangered  their  spiritual  well- 
being.  Hence  his  teaching  on  this  point  is  intensely 
practical  and  personal.  Yet  it  is  neither  narrow  nor 
trivial  nor  temporary :  it  is  broad  and  comprehensive, 
is  living  and  universal,  apphcable  to  believers  in  all 
times  and  places.  There  is  a  manifoldness,  a  univer- 
sality in  scripture  that  no  other  writing  possesses. 
The  Spirit  of  God  who  is  the  real  author  of  the  Bible 
combines  a  variety  of  ends  and  aims  in  what  He  is 
pleased  to  communicate  to  men.  To  tie  up  any  book 
of  the  holy  word  to  a  special  class  and  to  a  particular 
time  is  a  fatal  mistake.  Paul's  great  word  to  the  Ro- 
mans holds  through  all  time,  "  For  whatsoever  things 
were  written  aforetime  were  written  for  our  learning, 
that  we  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  scriptures 
might  have  hope  "  (Rom.  xv :  4).  So  likewise  does 
Peter's  :  "  Knowing  this  first,  that  no  prophecy  of 
scripture  is  of  any  private  interpretation  "  (2  Pet.  i  :  20). 


THE   EPISTLES   TO   THE   THESSALONIANS  9 1 

(i)  They  formed  a  church. — Both  letters  are  ad- 
dressed *•  unto  the  church  of  the  Thessalonians  in  God 
the  Father  and  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  They  be- 
longed to  a  unique  society.  This  is  their  supreme  dis- 
tinction. Of  no  other  organization  whatsoever  can 
such  a  union  be  affirmed.  Of  other  merely  human  as- 
sociations however  compactly  bound  together  and 
however  formidable  their  resources  it  would  be  impious 
to  describe  them  as  "  in  God,"  and  "  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,"  The  union  implies  the  ground  of  their  exist- 
ence as  a  saved  body,  the  exhaustless  source  of  their 
supphes,  their  security  and  blessedness,  and  their  final 
glorification.  It  implies  that  they  are  a  separated  com- 
pany, called  out  from  their  fellow  men,  consecrated  to 
the  Living  God,  to  be  in  fellowship  with  Him  and  with 
His  Son,  and  named  and  anointed  for  eternal  bhss.  It 
implies  that  they  have  parted  company  with  the  sins 
and  associations  of  their  former  Hves,  that  they  belong 
to  God  and  are  to  live  for  Him  and  with  Him.  This 
was  absolutely  new  teaching.  Heathenism  had  noth- 
ing like  it,  knew  nothing  like  it.  The  Christian 
Church  was  an  enigma,  a  puzzle,  to  the  wisest  of  the 
heathen.  Since  the  Christians  had  no  temple  nor 
altar  nor  image,  their  heathen  contemporaries  stigma- 
tized them  as  *'  atheists."  Since  they  repudiated  the 
maxims  and  the  practices  of  the  world,  they  were  held 
to  be  "  haters  of  the  human  race  "  (Tacitus).  Disliked, 
calumniated,  and  persecuted,  they  nevertheless  were 
joyful  and  happy.  They  were  in  very  truth  "  strangers 
and  pilgrims  in  the  earth  " — the  chosen  and  called  of 
God. 


92  OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

(2)  They  had  a  stated  ministry  (v  :  1 2,  1 3). — A 
class  of  men,  marked  off  from  the  body  of  believers, 
laboured  among  them  '•  in  the  Lord,  and  admonished 
them."  Aristarchus  and  Secundus,  who  accompanied 
Paul  from  Macedonia  on  his  way  to  Jerusalem  (Acts 
XX  :  4),  may  have  been  ministers  in  the  church. 

(3)  They  kept  a  watchful  and  loving  oversight  over 
each  other,  and  shielded  the  holy  name  they  bore  from 
unworthy  and  unruly  members  (v  :  14,  15;  2  Thess. 
iii :  6,  14,  etc.). 

(4)  They  practiced  a  new  \\x\.\x^, purity  (iv  :  1-8). — 
They  drew  a  deeply-scored  line  around  the  citadel  of 
the  soul  that  the  awful  abominations  of  their  heathen 
neighbours  might  not  taint  nor  stain  them. 

(5)  They  exalted  work,  manual  labour,  into  a  sphere 
of  dignity  and  honour  (iv  :  11,  12;  2  Thess.  iii :  7- 15). — 
The  apostle's  teaching  is,  that  they  should  be  ambitious 
to  be  quiet,  to  do  their  own  business,  to  work  with 
their  own  hands.  He  exhorts  them  with  impassioned 
earnestness,  even  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  eat  their 
own  bread,  not  that  of  other  people.  It  is  well-known 
that  in  Greece,  with  all  its  pretensions  to  democracy, 
the  aristocratic  class  despised  those  who  worked  with 
their  own  hands.  "  Tradesmen  and  mechanics  were 
held  to  be  incapable  of  true  philosophy  or  spiritual  re- 
ligion or  refined  thought."  In  Rome  the  position  of 
the  labouring  classes  was  equally  bad,  if  not  worse. 
Wage-earners  were  regarded  as  but  little  removed  from 
slaves.  Bishop  Alexander  quotes  from  the  Politics  of 
Aristotle  (who  long  hved  in  Macedonia  and  knew  it 
well)  a  sentence  that  shows  how  thoroughly  that  keen 


THE    EPISTLES    TO    THE   THESSALONIANS  93 

dialectician  disliked  day  labourers — "  These  are  those 
who  live,  as  their  name  denotes,  by  their  hands  ! " 
Contrast  with  this  aristocratic  insolence  Paul's  noble 
words,  "  to  work  with  your  own  hands  " — with  his 
touching  allusion  to  his  own  stained  and  horny  hands, 
"  These  hands  ministered  unto  my  necessities  and  to 
them  that  were  with  me  "  (Acts  xx  :  34).  It  is  pro- 
foundly significant  that  the  first  Apostolic  Epistle  en- 
nobles honest  toil,  and  crowns  the  daily  worker  with 
such  dignity  as  he  never  before  enjoyed.  Now  this 
teaching  was  absolutely  new  and  unprecedented  in  all 
heathendom.  It  was  revolutionary.  But  it  is  in  ex- 
act accord  with  the  sublime  fact  that  our  Lord  Jesus 
was  Himself  a  carpenter,  was  often  covered  no 
doubt  with  the  dust  and  shavings  of  His  trade ;  with 
the  other  fact  that  His  greatest  apostle  was  a  tent- 
maker,  and  supported  himself  with  noble  dignity  and 
honourable  independence.  The  Gospel  has  glorified 
work. 

It  is  demonstrated  that  the  great  truths  of  Chris- 
tianity are  incorporated  in  these  two  earliest  epistles 
of  Paul.  Turner  dates  them  at  a.  d.  50- i  ;  Harnack 
at  A.  D.  48-9.  If  the  commonly  accepted  date  of 
Christ's  resurrection  and  ascension  be  admitted,  viz., 
A.  D.  33,  then  only  some  sixteen  or  eighteen  years  lie 
between  it  and  these  epistles.  If,  however,  an  earlier 
date  be  taken  for  His  death,  viz.,  a.  d.  30,  still  the  time 
is  lengthened  to  little  more  than  twenty  years.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  notion  of  a  gradual  evolution  of  Chris- 
tian doctrine  is  excluded.  It  is  simply  impossible  that 
such  evolution  should  be  consummated  in  so  short  a 


94  OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

space  of  time.  The  time-limit  effectually  bars  the 
hypothesis.  The  only  logical  and  honest  conclusion 
from  the  known  facts  in  the  case  is,  that  the  saving 
truths  of  Christianity  are  a  revelation,  not  an  evolution 
at  all.  The  argument  is  mightily  strengthened  by  the 
fact  that  these  same  truths  were  preached  by  the 
apostle  years  before  he  addressed  the  Thessalonians. 
We  are  even  told  that  immediately  after  his  conversion 
he  proclaimed  Jesus  "  as  the  Son  of  God,"  that  he 
"  proved  that  this  is  the  Christ "  (Acts  ix :  20,  22 ; 
cf.  xxii  :  14,  15  ;  xxvi :  16-18).  It  is  certain  that  these 
great  doctrines  formed  the  core  of  Paul's  teaching 
within  less  than  ten  years,  nay  in  less  than  eight  years 
of  the  Resurrection.  All  the  main  features  of  the 
Christian  system  were  preached  from  Pentecost  on- 
ward. Christianity  is  not  a  development,  a  growth ; 
it  is  a  revelation  from  God. 

IV.     Analysis. 
/     Thessalonians, 

{a)  The  address  (i :  i). — The  apostle  associates  with 
himself  his  fellow  labourers  and  companions  of  travel, 
Silas  and  Timothy.  In  several  of  his  subsequent  epis- 
tles he  joins  others  with  himself  as  here. 

{b)  Thanksgiving  (i  :  2- 10). — His  ground  for  this 
remarkable  expression  of  gratitude  to  God  is  solid  and 
ample.  He  thanks  God  for  the  inseparable  and  abid- 
ing Christian  graces,  faith,  love  and  hope,  which  these 
saints  so  preeminently  exhibited ;  for  their  election  of 
God ;  for  their  fellowship  and  following  with  the  apos- 
tle and  with  the  Lord ;  for  their  model  character ;  for 


THE   EPISTLES   TO   THE   THESSALONIANS  95 

their  missionary  activity.  Note  how  graphic  is  the 
word,  "  sounded  out "  :  they  proclaimed  the  word  of 
the  Lord  as  by  the  ringing  peal  of  a  trumpet ;  for  their 
serving  and  waiting. 

(r)  Nature  and  method  of  apostohc  ministry 
(ii:i-i2). — It  was  successful;  courageous;  honest 
and  guileless  ;  faithful  and  true ;  unselfish  and  tender  ; 
blameless,  irreproachable  ;  transcendent  in  aim. 

{d)  The  spirit  in  which  this  ministry  was  received 
(ii :  13-16). — They  received  it  as  the  word  of  God,  as 
a  bond  of  union  with  other  behevers,  as  patiently  en- 
during suffering  for  the  Gospel's  sake. 

[e)  Paul's  solicitude  for  these  saints  (ii :  17-iii). — It 
appears  in  his  desire  to  visit  them  ;  his  love  for  them ; 
his  joy  because  of  their  steadfastness ;  his  prayer  for 
them. 

(/)  Various  duties  enjoined  (iv:  i- 12). — This  sec- 
tion has  to  do  with  Christian  conduct,  with  the  be- 
haviour of  saints  in  their  relations  with  each  other  and 
with  the  world  around  them.  They  are  to  walk  so  as 
to  please  God,  to  live  upright  and  pure  lives,  free  from 
every  taint  of  unchastity,  for  God  has  called  them  and 
all  His  people  unto  holiness,  not  to  uncleanness  ;  they 
are  to  walk  in  brotherly  love,  in  honesty  and  integrity, 
and  in  quiet  industry. 

(g)  Resurrection  of  the  body  and  associated 
events  (iv :  13-v:  11). — The  order  of  these  events  is, 
advent  of  the  Lord  ;  resurrection  of  sleeping  saints  ; 
change  of  living  believers  ;  rapture  of  all  in  the  clouds 
to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air ;  the  unexpectedness  of 
the  advent,  necessity  of  watchfulness  and  readiness. 


96  OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

(Ji)  Various  exhortations  (v :  12-28)  ;  as,  esteem  for 
their  ministers  ;  mutual  care  and  encouragement ;  joy, 
prayer,  thanksgiving,  obedience ;  his  prayer  for  them, 
request  and  greetings. 

2  THESSALONIANS 

1.  Address  and  thanksgiving  (i  :  1-4). 

2.  Retribution  for  persecutors  and  ungodly  (i:5, 
6,  8,  9). 

3.  Rest  for  the  persecuted  (i :  7,  10). 

4.  Prayer  for  them  (vs.  11,  12). 

5.  Revelation  of  the  Man  of  Sin  (ii :  1-12). 

6.  Words  of  comfort  and  prayer  (ii :  1 3-17 ;  iii :  1-5). 

7.  Disciphne  for  the  disorderly  (iii :  6-15). 

8.  Conclusion  (iii:  16-18). 

Three  great  subjects  are  made  very  conspicuous  in 
these  epistles.  These  are,  Second  Coming  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Resurrection  and  Rapture  of  the 
Church,  and  the  Revelation  of  the  Man  of  Sin.  Each 
appears  to  demand  some  special  attention,  for  they  are 
the  prominent  features  of  these  Scriptures.  To  the 
study  of  them  we  now  address  ourselves. 

I.  The  coming  of  the  Lord. — By  this  is  meant  the 
literal  and  personal  return  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  the 
world.  It  is  not  deemed  needful  to  prove  that  by  the 
Lord's  coming  Paul  in  these  letters  does  not  mean 
either  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  nor  any  like  provi- 
dential event,  nor  the  advent  of  the  Spirit  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost,  nor  the  conversion  of  sinners,  nor  the 
death  of  saints,  but  solely  Christ's  visible  and  bodily 
appearing  on  our  earth.     Few  if  any  will  be  disposed 


THE   EPISTLES   TO    THE   THESSALONIANS  9/ 

to  interpret  the  texts  bearing  on  the  subject  in  the 
sense  above  indicated.     All  will  doubtless  admit  that 
the  apostle  means  the  one  supreme  event  of  the  future, 
Christ's    glorious  advent.     How   deeply  this  hope  of 
His  coming  entered  into  the  lives  of  the  Thessalonian 
Christians  and  served  to  form  their  character,  how  it 
was  in  fact  the  predominant  principle  with  them,  the 
attentive  reading  of  these  letters  abundantly  proves. 
Their  conversion  to  God  is  intimately  bound  up  with 
it.     They  laid  hold  of  the  great  fact  that  God  gave  up 
His  Son  to  die  for  them,  that  He  raised  Him  from  the 
dead  and  exalted  Him  to  His  own  right  hand  in  the 
heavens.     But  equally  with  these  fundamental  truths  of 
the  Gospel,  they  laid  hold  of  the  other  central  Christian 
fact    that   Jesus    is   soon   to    come    again,   and   they 
patiently  waited  for  Him.     Round  this  Blessed  Hope 
their   affections    clustered.     With   longing    eyes    and 
straining  desires  they  waited  for  Him.     The  apostle, 
far  from  reproving  their  expectation,  sets  the  seal  of 
his  own  approbation  to  it,  joins  himself  with  them  in 
it,  tells  them  that  at  Christ's  coming  they  are  to  be  His 
joy  and  crown,  that  he  and  they  shall  be  glorified  to- 
gether then,  and  be   forever  with  the  Lord.     Nor  are 
these  epistles  peculiar  in  this  regard.     The  New  Testa- 
ment throbs  with  the  same  living  hope  of  Christ's  ad- 
vent.    More  than  three  hundred  times  is  it  mentioned ; 
one  verse  out  of  every  thirty  of  the  book  is  devoted  to 
it.     It  is  made  to  bear  on  all  our  relations  in  life,  it 
touches  every  sphere  in  which  we  move,  it  guards  and 
stimulates  us,  it  comforts  and  warns  us,  fills  and  thrills 
us  with  its  glorious  promises  and  assurances.     The 


98  OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

modern  church  seems  to  have  forgotten  the  hope,  to 
have  ignored  it  in  its  teaching,  and  to  have  substituted 
death  for  the  coming.  Men  delude  themselves  with 
the  fond  belief  that  by  advancing  civihzation,  the 
spread  of  education,  by  the  achievements  of  science, 
the  marvels  of  invention,  and  the  work  of  the  church, 
the  world  will  be  subdued,  the  evils  be  suppressed,  the 
antagonisms  destroyed,  the  devil  bound,  and  the  golden 
age  be  introduced.  Busy,  enormously  busy  as  men 
are  with  social,  commercial,  educational,  and  rehgious 
problems  ;  absorbed  with  reforms  and  plans  for  the  ex- 
tirpation of  abounding  evils,  they  have  little  disposition 
and  less  time  to  inquire  into  events  which  prophetic 
Scripture  announces.  Accordingly,  the  doctrine  of 
the  Lord's  coming,  so  preeminent  in  the  hope  of  the 
Apostolic  church  is  now  largely  thrust  aside,  or  be- 
comes, what  it  was  never  intended  to  be,  a  theme  of 
debate  and  a  subject  of  acrid  controversy.  Where  in 
all  the  world  is  there  a  church  now  of  whose  members 
it  can  be  truthfully  said,  "  they  turned  unto  God  from 
idols  to  serve  the  living  and  true  God,  and  to  wait  for 
His  Son  from  heaven "  ?  Christians  are  waiting  for 
many  things,  few  of  them  are  looking  and  longing  for 
Christ's  return.  They  wait  for  the  multiplication  of 
agencies  and  organizations,  for  societies  and  ministers 
and  missionaries  and  money — how  many  are  waiting 
for  Christ  Himself? 

Primitive  Christians  expected  the  speedy  return  of 
the  Lord.  The  language  of  Paul  in  these  epistles 
seems  to  denote  that  they  looked  for  Him  during  their 
Ufetime.     Were  they  mistaken  ?     Some  say  they  were. 


THE   EPISTLES   TO   THE   THESSALONIANS  99 

Some  go  so  far  as  to  affirm  that  the  apostle  himself 
confidently  expected  the  advent  before  his  own  death. 
This,  it  is  said,  was  his  belief  when  he  wrote  Thessa- 
lonians.  But  as  Christ  did  not  come,  he  changed  his 
mind  about  it,  and  in  later  years  gave  up  his  earlier 
hope.  In  other  words,  Paul  in  his  earlier  life  was  mis- 
taken as  to  this  glorious  event,  but  he  subsequently 
corrected  his  error,  i  Thess.  iv :  15,  17  seems  to 
lend  support  to  the  view,  particularly  the  words  "  We 
who  are  alive  and  remain  "—terms  which  distinguish 
between  living  and  sleeping  saints.  Among  the  living 
Paul  includes  himself.  The  inference  is  that  he  be- 
Heved  the  advent  to  be  so  near  that  he  would  not  die, 
that,  on  the  contrary,  he  would  be  found  at  that  time 
among  the  living.  Five  or  six  years  after  writing  this 
he  used  the  same  words  (i  Cor.  xv :  51).  And  five  or 
six  years  after  Corinthians  was  written  he  practically 
employed  the  same  language  (Phil,  iii :  20,  21).  He 
was  a  prisoner  in  Rome  when  he  addressed  the  Phihp- 
pians,  uncertain  as  to  what  the  outcome  of  his  trial 
would  be,  and  yet  he  could  associate  himself  with  all 
believers  in  the  blessed  hope,  saying, "  Who  shall  fash- 
ion anew  the  body  of  our  humiliation  "  : — "  our  body'' 
In  I  Thess.  v:  10,  he  writes,  "Who  died  for  us  that 
whether  we  wake  or  sleep,  we  should  live  together 
with  Him."  Here  also  he  includes  himself  with  the 
company  of  the  redeemed,  whether  living  or  dead. 
But  still  further,  in  2  Thess.  ii,  he  emphatically  tells 
these  Christians  that  certain  events  must  precede  the 
Lord's  coming,  viz.,  the  Apostasy,  the  Man  of  Sin, 
and  the  removal  of  the  mysterious  check  on  this  Man 


lOO  OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

of  Sin.  How  much  time  should  elapse  ere  all  these 
things  should  be  accompHshed  he  does  not  intimate, 
nay,  he  does  not  know ;  "  for  yourselves  know  per- 
fectly that  the  day  of  the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a  thief  in 
the  night,"  suddenly,  unlooked  for,  because  totally  un- 
known as  to  its  exact  date. 

Beyond  peradventure,  Paul  did  not  know  but  that 
he  might  see  the  Lord's  advent  in  his  Hfetime;  he 
might  die  before  it ;  he  knew  certain  events  must  take 
place  before  He  should  come ;  but  all  the  same,  he 
waited  for  Him  and  yearned  for  His  appearing  with 
all  the  intensity  of  his  great  soul.  What  inference 
must  be  drawn  from  his  attitude  and  teaching  on  the 
point?  This,  beyond  doubt,  that  as  the  date  of  the 
advent  is  absolutely  concealed  (Mark  xiii :  32) ;  as  the 
events  preceding  it  might  all  be  accomplished  in  the 
apostle's  lifetime ;  as  the  Lord  Himself  had  bidden 
him  and  His  people  to  wait  and  watch  just  because 
they  knew  not  the  day  nor  the  hour ;  Paul  did  watch 
and  wait.  He  was  neither  mistaken  about  it,  nor  did 
he  change  his  mind.  Nor  has  there  been  a  single 
generation  of  Christians  from  that  day  to  this  in  which 
the  return  of  Christ  was  not  possible  from  our  point  of 
view.  For,  in  the  Scripture  it  is  viewed  rather  in 
space  than  in  time,  in  juxtaposition  rather  than  in  suc- 
cession. In  Scripture  it  is  always  impending  because 
its  exact  date  is  unrevealed  and  unknowable.  Such  a 
state  of  uncertainty  must  of  necessity  prompt  to  wait- 
ing and  watching  for  Him.  *•  The  whole  doctrine 
would  not  even  have  the  least  practical  significance,  if 
the  longing  for  Christ's  return  were  not  every  moment 


THE   EPISTLES   TO   THE   THESSALONIANS  lOI 

active,  because  viewing  the  event  also  as  continually 
possible  "  (Olshausen).  "  His  (the  apostle's)  aim  is  to 
rouse  the  expectation  of  the  Thessalonians,  and  so  to 
hold  all  the  pious  in  suspense,  that  they  shall  not 
count  on  any  delay  whatever "  (Calvin).  "  Each 
several  generation,  at  whatever  period  existing,  oc- 
cupies during  that  period  the  position  of  those  who 
shall  be  alive  at  the  Lord's  coming  "  (Bengel).  Paul 
was  not  in  error  in  eagerly  waiting  for  Christ,  nor  are 
we.  He  died,  and  so  may  we.  But  he  has  not  ceased 
to  wait  for  the  blissful  day  when  the  Lord  shall  de- 
scend from  heaven  with  a  shout  to  wake  those  who 
sleep  in  Him.  He  waits  for  his  body  of  glory ;  he 
will  never  get  it  till  Christ  comes.  He  has  changed 
his  place  of  waiting,  not  the  waiting  itself.  And  so 
shall  we  should  the  Lord  not  come  until  we  shall  have 
fallen  asleep. 

2.  The  resurrection  and  rapture  of  the  saints 
(iv:  13-18). — The  occasion  of  this  precious  and  con- 
soling word  of  the  Lord  was  grief.  Death  had  visited 
the  flock  at  Thessalonica  since  Paul  left  them.  His 
words  are  both  striking  and  suggestive — "  fall  sleep," 
or,  perhaps  better,  ♦*  are  falling  asleep."  The  verb  is  a 
present  participle  and  denotes  continuous  action,  what 
is  now  going  on.  Death  had  already  invaded  the 
Christian  brotherhood ;  and  some  of  the  members  had 
died,  and  some  were  dying ;  and  this  had  aroused  in 
the  survivors  a  painful  fear  lest  such  had  lost  their 
share  in  the  Lord's  approaching  advent.  It  would 
seem  this  contingency  had  not  been  thought  of  till  it 
arose,  so  vivid  was  the  expectation  of  Christ's  speedy 


I02        OUTLINE    STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

return.  So  these  children  of  the  heavenly  King  were 
grieving  over  their  dead  with  a  hopeless  sorrow. 
Despair  was  characteristic  of  the  world  at  the  time. 
The  books  supply  quotations  from  the  heathen  writers 
which  abundantly  confirm  Paul's  words  as  to  the 
"  others  who  have  no  hope."  Let  but  one  suffice ; 
"  Suns  may  set  and  return  ;  when  once  our  brief  day 
has  set  we  must  sleep  one  everlasting  night "  (Ca- 
tullus). Ephesians  ii :  12  gives  even  a  blacker  picture 
than  this  of  i  Thess.  iv :  13:  "  Christless,  churchless, 
hopeless,  godless,  and  homeless."  Matthew  Arnold 
has  painted  that  heathen  age  in  the  most  forbidding 
but  truest  colours : — 

"  On  that  hard  Pagan  world  disgust 
And  secret  loathing  fell ; 
Deep  weariness  and  sated  lust 
Made  human  life  a  hell." 

Breathing  such  an  atmosphere  of  hopelessness  and 
still  ignorant  of  the  fullness  of  Christ's  redemption  the 
sorrow  of  these  saints  is  not  surprising.  But  the 
Spirit  of  God  turns  their  grief  into  joy.  The  glorious 
revelation  as  to  the  triumphant  future  of  both  dead 
and  living  Christians  contained  in  this  section  of  the 
epistle  dispelled  their  gloom  and  comforted  their 
hearts  as  it  has  millions  since. 

To  the  Christian  death  is  "  sleep."  Occasionally 
death  had  this  name  in  non-Christian  writers,  but 
chiefly  as  a  figure  of  speech.  Our  Lord  Jesus  was  the 
first  to  make  it  a  standing  name  for  death  in  the  dia- 
lect of  His  church.     The  beautiful  term  indicates  more 


THE   EPISTLES   TO    THE   THESSALONIANS  IO3 

than  one  idea,  e.  g.,  that  of  rest,  of  refreshment,  and 
mainly  of  brevity.  We  sleep  but  for  a  brief  period, 
and  then  rise  to  conscious  activity.  Death  to  the  be- 
liever is  only  temporary ;  it  will  last  no  longer  than 
Christ  delays  His  coming.  For  aught  we  know,  the 
fresh  earth  now  covering  the  resting-place  of  a  de- 
parted saint  of  God  will  not  be  grass-grown  before  the 
mighty  summons  of  the  Son  of  God  will  awaken  the 
sleeping  one  and  raise  him  to  immortal  life  even  in  his 
body.  How  this  glad  word  "  sleep  "  must  have  thrilled 
the  souls  of  the  Thessalonian  mourners  ! 

Let  it  be  likewise  noted  that  the  certainty  of  the 
resurrection  of  believers  rests  on  the  central  truth  of 
Christ's  resurrectioA ;  •*  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus 
died  and  rose  again,  even  so  them  also  who  sleep  in 
Jesus  will  God  bring  with  Him."  The  preposition 
"  in  "  here  is  unfortunate.  Never  once  does  Paul  use 
the  name  Jesus  as  the  One  with  whom  Christians  are 
united.  "  In,"  denoting  oneness,  union,  invariably 
stands  joined  with  the  name  Christ,  Lord,  or  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Jesus  is  the  Lord's  human  name,  and 
designates  His  manhood,  pertains  to  the  Man.  We 
are  not  united  with  Him  in  this  character,  we  cannot 
be.  We  are  one  with  Him  only  in  His  Messianic  and 
Mediatorial  office  (cf.  i  Cor.  xii :  12;  Eph.  i:  22,  23). 
The  Greek  preposition  here  is  the  one  commonly 
translated  by  or  through.  Accordingly,  the  sense  is — 
"  fallen  asleep  through  Jesus,"  as  the  r.  v.  has  it  in  the 
margin.  The  words  thus  rendered  may  be  connected 
either  with  what  follows,  viz.,  "  God  will  through  Jesus 
bring  with  Him,"  which  is  awkward  and  redundant ; 


104      OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

or  with  those  that  precede — "  those  who  have  fallen 
asleep  through  Jesus,  God  will  bring  with  Him,"  per- 
haps the  most  satisfactory  explanation  of  the  terms. 
The  meaning,  then,  is  that  death  neither  sunders  nor 
suspends  the  believer's  relation  to  Christ.  Whether 
alive  in  the  body  or  resting  in  the  grave  he  belongs  to 
the  Lord.  His  death  is  precious  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord  (Ps.  cxvi :  15).  We  may  indeed  read  the  words 
— "  Even  so  them  also  who  are  laid  to  sleep  through 
Jesus  will  God  bring  with  Him."  Through  His  victory 
over  death  those  in  their  graves  are  only  lying  in  their 
beds ;  they  rest  there  in  sure  hope  of  a  blessed  awak- 
ening. As  certainly  as  He  died  and  rose  again,  so 
surely  shall  they  rise.  But  the  argument  is  strength- 
ened when  it  is  remembered  that  Paul  does  not  merely 
assert  the  fact  of  the  resurrection,  basing  it  on  the  fact 
of  Christ's,  but  he  also  most  positively  affirms  the 
sleeping  believer's  participation  in  the  Lord's  Advent 
and  in  all  the  blessings  which  are  to  accompany  the 
Advent.  He  shall  be  brought  with  Christ.  We  are 
one  with  Christ  in  His  death,  in  His  resurrection,  and 
in  His  coming. 

There  follows  the  sublime  announcement  of  the 
order  and  method  of  the  resurrection :  "  For,  this  we 
say  unto  you  by  the  word  of  the  Lord."  It  does  not 
appear  that  Paul  here  refers  to  any  previous  disclosure 
of  Scripture,  nor  to  some  traditional  saying  of  the 
Lord.  It  is  rather  a  direct  and  specific  revelation 
given  him  to  communicate  to  the  church  at  the  time. 
The  parallel  passage  in  i  Cor.  xv :  5 1  confirms  this 
view.     "  Behold,  I  show  you  a  mystery  " — something 


THE   EPISTLES   TO   THE   THESSALONIANS  10$ 

hitherto  concealed  but  is  now  made  known  by  the 
Spirit  for  the  help  and  comfort  of  the  Lord's  people. 
The  disclosure  here  is,  that  believers  hving  at  the  time 
of  the  advent  shall  have  no  precedence  of  them  that 
sleep.  The  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first  before  any 
change  of  living  saints  shall  take  place.  If  there  is  to 
be  any  priority  at  all  it  will  be  in  favour  of  the  dead  ; 
these  are  raised  before  anything  is  done  for  the  hving : 
they  are  to  have  the  foremost  place  in  the  majestic 
events  of  the  Lord's  coming.  This  precious  "  word 
of  the  Lord  "  assuages  their  grief  and  dries  their  tears 
(cf.  Rev.  xxi :  4). 

The  description  of  the  advent  is  very  brief  but  it  is 
transcendently  grand.  Several  things  are  told  us  of  it 
which  deserve  our  serious  and  attentive  study,  (i)  It 
will  be  personal  and  visible  :  "  For  the  Lord  Himself 
shall  descend  from  heaven."  He  is  now  at  God's 
right  hand  in  the  heavens  (Acts  vii :  55  ;  Heb.  i:  3). 
Thence  He  shall  come  forth.  No  phantom  or  appa- 
rition will  it  be,  but  an  actual  and  visible  descent  to 
the  earth.  The  same  Person  who  ascended  is  He  who 
will  descend.  (2)  It  will  be  with  a  mighty  voice  of 
command  :  "  With  a  shout."  This  word  is  peculiar 
and  distinctive.  It  occurs  nowhere  else  in  the  New 
Testament.  It  is  one  used  by  an  officer  to  his  troops, 
or  by  a  sea-captain  to  his  crew.  It  confines  itself  to  a 
particular  class  ;  it  is  addressed  to  a  distinct  company, 
hence  is  neither  universal  nor  indiscriminate.  It  is  a 
signal  shout  to  Christ's  own  people  and  to  no  others. 
It  will  single  out  from  among  the  dead  those  who 
sleep  in  Him,  and  pass  all  others  by ;  it  will  be  heard 


I06       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

and  understood  and  obeyed  by  the  saints  and  by  no 
others.  For  Paul  is  here  deaUng  with  Christians 
alone  ;  the  wicked  do  not  enter  the  circle  the  apostle 
addresses.  The  like  significant  fact  appears  also  in  the 
great  resurrection  chapter  (i  Cor.  xv).  Christians  only 
are  the  subjects  of  that  great  Scripture.  The  wicked 
dead  will  certainly  be  raised,  and  the  living  nations  be 
judged.  In  other  Scripture  this  is  taught  (John  v  :  28, 
29;  Matt.  XXV  :  3iff.,  etc.).  But  here  God's  people  alone 
are  in  view.  The  Divine  almighty  shout  singles  out 
Christ's  own  from  among  the  dead,  and  quickens  them 
into  life.  It  is  not  an  inarticulate  burst  of  sound  that 
is  meant,  as  a  peal  of  thunder  or  the  loud  report  of 
some  powerful  explosive,  as  is  by  some  imagined :  it  is 
an  articulate  sound,  a  true  vocable,  for  it  is  the  utter- 
ance of  the  Lord's  own  voice.  Jesus  says,  "  The  hour 
Cometh  in  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear 
His  voice,  and  shall  come  forth."  At  the  tomb  of 
Lazarus  He  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  '*  Lazarus,  come 
forth."  The  Lord  Christ  will  utter  His  voice,  will  call 
from  above  to  His  sleeping  people  (cf.  Ps.  i  :  3-6), 
and  they  shall  hear  and  obey  the  call  and  come  forth 
in  incorruptible  and  glorious  bodies.  At  His  irresisti- 
ble command  they  shall  rise.  Round  this  planet  shall 
that  mighty  shout  ring,  penetrating  every  grave, 
piercing  even  the  ocean's  depths,  and  it  will  stir  into  life 
and  call  out  into  the  eternal  fellowship  of  the  Lord  the 
whole  vast  host  of  the  saintly  dead.  (3)  "  With  the 
voice  of  the  archangel."  In  only  one  other  place  is 
archangel  mentioned  (Jude  9).  The  word  seems  to 
denote,  not  chief  angel,  but  chief  or  ruler  of  the  angels. 


THE   EPISTLES   TO    THE   THESSALONIANS  lO/ 

Michael  has  this  distinguishing  title,  but  whether  he  is 
meant  or  another  is  unknown.  Certainly  he  is  to  be 
distinguished  from  the  Lord.  Angels  will  accompany 
the  Advent  (2  Thess.  1:7;  Matt,  xxiv  :  30,  31,  etc.). 
They  will  have  their  part  to  fulfill  in  the  tremendous 
events  of  that  day.  The  voice  of  the  archangel  may 
be  employed  to  summon  the  heavenly  hosts  and  mar- 
shal the  innumerable  company  of  the  redeemed,  for 
"  they  shall  gather  His  elect  together  from  the  four 
winds,  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other."  An 
army  associated  with  royalty  gives  an  impression  of 
power  and  grandeur.  How  exalted  is  this  Divine  Per- 
sonage whose  advent  is  attended  by  such  a  retinue — 
the  marshalled  legions  of  the  skies  !  (4)  "  With  the 
trumpet  of  God."  It  is  God's  trumpet  because  em- 
ployed in  His  heavenly  service.  The  trumpet  was 
often  associated  with  Old  Testament  Theophanies, 
particularly  with  the  descent  on  Sinai,  "when  the 
voice  of  the  trumpet  sounded  long,  and  waxed  louder 
and  louder"  (Ex.  xix:  16,  19;  Heb.  xii:i9).  It  is 
very  probable  that  the  expression,  "  the  trumpet  of 
God,"  correlates  itself  with  that  of  Sinai,  not  with  the 
trumpets  used  to  gather  the  children  of  Israel  to  the 
feasts.  In  I  Cor.  xv  :  52  it  is  called  "  the  last  trump  " ; 
but  the  apostle  immediately  adds  the  assurance,  "  the 
trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  in- 
corruptible, and  we  shall  be  changed."  It  is  the 
"  last "  because  it  sounds  its  awful  peal  in  connection 
with  the  end.  The  trumpet,  like  the  voice  of  the 
archangel,  is  but  an  instrument  of  God  to  accomplish 
His  glorious  purposes.     Through  both  these  the  de- 


I08        OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

scending  Lord  executes  His  sovereign  will  in  the 
resurrection  of  His  sleeping  and  the  change  of  His 
living  saints.  These  two,  with  the  majestic  "  shout," 
betoken  no  obscure,  mystical  or  spiritual  advent  which 
may  be  questioned  after  it  has  occurred.  Our  globe 
itself  will  attest  the  reality  of  the  event,  will  no  doubt 
tremble  and  quake  and  thrill  through  all  its  mighty 
bulk  (cf.  Rev.  vi :  12- 17).  ''  We  are  to  recognize  three 
particulars,  following  each  other  in  rapid  succession — 
the  commanding  shout  of  the  King  Himself,  the  voice 
of  the  archangel  summoning  the  other  angels,  and  the 
trump  of  God  which  awakens  the  dead  and  collects 
believers  "  (Riggenbach).  (5)  Resurrection — ''and the 
dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first."  The  emphasis  rests  on 
the  last  word — first,  before  anything  else  is  done  ; — so 
little  danger  is  there  that  those  who  die  before  the 
Lord  comes  will  suffer  loss ;  they  will  be  the  first  to 
share  in  the  glad  triumph  of  their  Redeemer.  Imme- 
diately thereafter,  living  believers  will  be  fashioned 
anew  in  their  bodies,  and  so  made  fit  to  dwell  with 
Christ  in  glory :  "  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall 
all  be  changed,  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkHng  of  an 
eye,  at  the  last  trump  "  (i  Cor.  xv:  51,  52  ;  Phil,  iii : 
20,  21).  Just  what  all  is  involved  in  this  physical 
transformation  is  not  disclosed  and  speculation  is  worse 
than  useless.  Of  some  things  touching  it  we  may  be 
quite  sure.  It  will  be  the  identical  body  and  spirit  of 
those  then  living  that  will  be  changed.  It  will  be  so 
complete  and  perfect  that  while  the  identity  will  be 
preserved  it  will  be  forever  freed  from  all  that  is 
earthy,  mortal ;  it  will  be  a  "  body  of  glory/'  like  the 


THE   EPISTLES    TO    THE   THESSALONIANS  IO9 

glorious  body  of  the  Son  of  God.  Incorruption  and 
immortality  will  be  the  vesture  of  the  saved  and  glori- 
fied. All  this  and  infinitely  more  than  we  can  imagine 
or  conjecture  will  be  their  portion.  (6)  Assumption 
of  both  classes — **  shall  be  caught  up  together  with 
them  in  the  clouds  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air." 
Together  with  implies  full  association.  Sundered  as 
the  saints  will  be  at  the  Lord's  return,  some  in  their 
graves,  others  alive,  and  all  scattered  over  the  whole 
earth,  they  then  shall  be  reunited  nevermore  to  part. 
This  is  the  rapture-caught  away  in  clouds  ^  to  meet  the 
Lord  in  the  air.  What  becomes  of  them  and  of  the 
Lord  whom  they  encounter  in  the  air  ?  Do  they 
abide  there  ?  No  ;  their  stay  in  the  air  is  but  brief, 
momentar)^  There  are  only  two  other  places  in  the 
New  Testament  where  the  phrase  "  to  meet  "  occurs 
(Matt.  XXV  :  6 ;  Acts  xxviii  :  15),  ^  and  in  both  of  them 
the  party  met  continues  to  advance  still  in  the  direc- 
tion in  which  he  was  moving  previously  (Lillie).  Au- 
gustine perceived  this ;  '*  it  is  as  He  is  coming,  not 
abiding,  that  we  shall  go  to  meet  Him."  Christ  does 
not  return  to  heaven  with  His  saints  ;  He  comes  on 
with  them  to  the  earth.  As  an  ancient  writer  ex- 
presses it,  "  we  shall  be  caught  away  to  meet  Christ, 
that  all  may  come  with  the  Lord  to  battle."  ^  (7)  Per- 
petual enjoyment  of  the  Lord's  society — "  And  so 
shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord."  The  intercourse 
thus  begun  shall  have  an  endless  duration.     "  They 

^  The  Greek  text  is  without  the  article. 

2  The  word  in  a  somewhat  different  form  is  found  in  Matt,  viii :  34; 
XXV  :  I  ;  John  xii  :  13. 

3  Quoted  from  Ambrosiaster  by  Lillie. 


no       OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

shall  go  no  more  out,"  It  will  be  the  glad  fulfillment 
of  His  prayer,  •'  that  they  also  whom  Thou  hast  given 
Me,  be  with  Me  where  I  am  "  (John  xvii :  24).  What 
a  home-coming  it  will  be !  "  Wherefore,  comfort  one 
another  with  these  words." 

Thus  one  of  the  earliest  apostolic  documents  sets  the 
seal  of  divine  authority  to  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  saints'  bodies.  Paul's  teaching  is  in  com- 
plete accord  with  Old  Testament  promise  (J  ob  xiv :  7- 1 2 ; 
xix  :  25-27  ;  Ps.  xvi :  8-I  i  ;  Dan.  xii  :  2),  and  with 
Jesus  (Luke  xiv  :  14;  xx  :  35,  36;  John  xi  :  25).  The 
resurrection  is  essential  to  human  perfection.  The 
soul  is  not  the  whole  of  man.  The  notion  is  unscrip- 
tural  and  false  that  the  body  is  a  mere  appendage  to 
the  soul,  a  sort  of  garment  or  shell  worn  temporarily 
and  cast  off  at  death  forever.  Man  is  not  pure  spirit. 
He  was  never  intended  to  be  such.  He  was  created 
an  incorporate  spirit,  and  the  spirit  separate  from  the 
body  consciously  lives  and  no  doubt  is  happy  in  the 
presence  of  Christ,  but  this  is  not  its  perfect  state. 
Indeed,  it  cannot  enjoy  the  highest  bliss  while  separate 
from  the  body.  Prof.  James  Orr's  words  are  none  too 
strong :  "  The  soul  in  separation  from  the  body  is  in  a 
state  of  imperfection  and  mutilation.  When  the  hu- 
man being  loses  one  of  his  limbs,  we  regard  him  as  a 
mutilated  being.  Were  he  to  lose  all  his  limbs,  we 
would  regard  him  as  worse  mutilated  still.  So,  when 
the  soul  is  entirely  denuded  of  its  body,  though  con- 
sciousness and  memory  yet  remain,  it  must  still  be  re- 
garded— and  in  the  Bible  is  regarded — as  subsisting  in 
an  imperfect  condition,  a  condition  of  enfeebled  life, 


THE   EPISTLES   TO   THE   THESSALONIANS  III 

diminished  powers,  restricted  capacities  of  action — a 
state,  in  short,  of  deprivation."  The  children  of  God 
will  not  be  absolutely  perfect  in  their  being  until  they 
have  the  resurrection  body.  This  is  the  Biblical  doc- 
trine of  immortality.  It  is  a  mistake  to  speak  alone 
of  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  Scripture  does  not 
thus  represent  our  hope.  It  uniformly  joins  this  idea 
with  both  soul  and  body.  We  shall  be  like  Christ  only 
in  resurrection  (Phil,  iii  :  20,  2i  ;  i  John  iii  :  2 ; 
2  Cor.  v:  1-5). 

3.  The  man  of  sin  (2  Thess.  ii:i-i2). — This  re- 
markable prophecy  foretells  the  appearing  of  a  strong 
and  impious  enemy  of  God  and  of  all  good.  With 
few  but  most  graphic  strokes  the  extraordinary  char- 
acter, unparalleled  wickedness,  sudden  awful  doom  of 
this  adversary,  together  with  the  conditions  w'hich 
make  his  advent  possible,  are  portrayed.  Nor  is  this 
the  only  Scripture  which  predicts  the  coming  of  such 
a  foe.  The  prophet  Daniel  deals  largely  with  the  same 
dark  theme  (vii,  viii,  xi),  and  John  both  in  his  first 
epistle  and  in  the  Apocalypse  draws  a  full-length  por- 
trait of  a  like  enemy.  That  the  three  prophets,  Daniel, 
Paul,  and  John,  have  in  mind  one  and  the  same  pow- 
erful adversary,  is  capable  of  complete  demonstration. 
It  is  with  the  prediction  of  Paul  in  this  passage  we  are 
now  chiefly  to  deal. 

First,  note  the  names  and  titles  given  him.  He  is 
called  the  "  Man  of  Sin."  ^  He  is  one  of  whom  sin  is 
the  distinguishing  feature ;  whose  inner  element  and 

1  Or  "  lawlessness,"  the  reading  preferred  by  Westcott  and  Hort 
Weymouth  as  above. 


112       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

outer  characteristic  is  sin,  and  nothing  but  sin ;  who 
has  his  being,  plans,  and  activities  in  sin  and  nothing 
else ;  who  as  the  living  embodiment  of  it  is  known  and 
recognized  as  the  Man  of  Sin.  '•  The  son  of  perdition." 
Perdition  is  no  less  distinctive  of  him  than  sin.  He 
not  only  leads  others  to  perdition,  he  goes  thither  him- 
self; it  is  his  portion  and  heritage.  To  one  other  alone 
in  all  the  Bible  is  this  frightful  designation  given,  Judas 
Iscariot,  who  like  his  great  prototype,  the  Man  of  Sin, 
"  went  to  his  own  place."  He  is  described  as  one 
"  who  opposeth  and  exalteth  himself  against  all  that  is 
called  God  or  that  is  worshipped."  He  is  the  antag- 
onist of  God.  He  is  God's  foe,  who.  Titan-like,  uplifts 
himself  against  whatever.  Divine  or  human,  has  hith- 
erto challenged  the  adoration  and  obedience  of  man- 
kind. Treason  against  God  is  his  uncommon  crime. 
This  is  none  other  than  Antichrist,  of  whom  John  sol- 
emnly avers,  **  He  is  the  Antichrist,  even  he  that  de- 
nieth  the  Father  and  the  Son  "  (i  John  ii :  22).  He  is 
also  called  •'  The  Lawless  One."  He  is  one  who  is  im- 
patient of  every  restraint,  hostile  to  all  authority,  the 
enemy  of  all  order — who  puts  himself  above  law,  or 
outside  of  law,  or  against  law — the  lawless  one. 

Second,  note  the  amazing  powers  which  are  ascribed 
to  him.  His  '*  coming  is  according  to  the  working  of 
Satan  with  all  power  and  signs  and  lying  wonders,  and 
with  all  deceit  of  unrighteousness."  In  Daniel  he  has 
"  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  a  man,"  "  understands  dark  sen- 
tences," and  "  he  practices  and  prospers."  In  the  Rev- 
elation, by  his  Prime  Minister,  the  false  prophet,  **  he 
doeth  great  wonders,  so  that  he  maketh  fire  come  down 


THE   EPISTLES   TO   THE   THESSALONIANS  II3 

from  heaven  on  the  earth  in  the  sight  of  men,  and  de- 
ceiveth  them  that  dweU  on  the  earth."  He  has  horns, 
and  horns  are  the  symbols  of  power.  He  has  diadems 
on  his  horns,  and  diadems  are  badges  of  regal  do- 
minion. 

He  is  described  as  "  the  deceiver  "  and  the  "  liar,"  as 
one  who  shall  intoxicate  men  with  a  "  strong  delusion," 
and  daze  them  with  his  signs  and  lying  wonders.  He 
is  represented  as  a  consummate  flatterer,  a  brilliant 
diplomatist,  a  superb  strategist,  a  sublime  hypocrite. 
For  he  is  the  Antichrist,  the  Vice-Christ,  alter  Christus, 
the  rival  of  the  Son  of  God  and  His  adversary.  He 
assumes  and  presumes  to  be  God,  shows  himself  as 
God,  and  demands  from  men  the  homage  which  they 
give  to  the  Almighty ;  and  he  takes  this  blasphemous 
place  and  challenges  this  adoration  through  the  strange 
witchery  of  his  stupendous  powers.  For  to  him  Satan 
will  give  his  power  and  throne  and  great  authority 
(Rev.  xiii :  2). 

Third,  note  the  conditions  of  the  appearing  of  this 
Man  of  Sin.  Two  things  precede  and  condition  his 
coming.  The  first  is  apostasy  :  "  It  (the  day  of  the 
Lord)  cannot  come  except  there  be  a  falling  away 
first,  and  the  Man  of  Sin  be  revealed."  Obviously, 
the  falling  away  is  a  defection  from  the  truth  of  God, 
and  from  the  faith  of  Christ.  It  is  religious,  not  po- 
litical or  social  apostasy  that  is  meant.  In  the  incipi- 
ent stage  it  was  present  in  Paul's  day ;  "  for  the  mys- 
tery of  lawlessness  doth  already  work."  The  wicked- 
ness existed  already  in  germ  in  the  apostle's  lifetime, 
but    the    germs    were   of    continuous   and   insidious 


I  14        OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

activity  and  growth ;  these  would  gather  into  them 
kindred  elements,  and  combine  and  ripen  at  length 
into  that  terrible  manifestation — the  Man  of  Sin.  No 
one  can  read  attentively  the  New  Testament  writings, 
particularly  of  the  apostles,  without  being  aware  of  the 
secret  and  stealthy  working  of  this  leaven  of  lawless- 
ness in  the  primitive  church.  Paul  again  and  again 
refers  to  it,  deplores  it,  foresees  its  huge  development. 
In  I  Tim.  iv  :  1-3,  he  speaks  of  what  is  to  take  place 
in  the  "  latter  times  "  ;  in  2  Tim.  iii,  of  its  more  peril- 
ous manifestation  in  the  ••  last  days."  The  possibilities 
of  human  sin  are  enormous  and  monstrous.  This 
epistle  was  written  but  a  short  time  before  the  colossal 
criminal,  Caesar  Nero,  ascended  the  imperial  throne, 
and  Paul  lived  long  enough  to  witness  how  near  in  his 
own  day  that  frightful  monster  came  to  filling  out  his 
lurid  picture  of  the  Antichrist.  How  immensely  the 
"  mystery  of  lawlessness "  has  grown  since  all  know 
who  are  but  slightly  acquainted  with  the  Church's 
history,  or  who  even  now  look  with  intelligent  eyes  on 
the  ominous  condition  of  Christendom.  The  falling 
away  is  not  the  result  of  the  presence  of  the  Man  of 
Sin ;  it  precedes  and  prepares  the  way  for  his  advent. 
The  apocalypse  of  the  Antichrist  will  be  the  unveiling 
of  the  mystery  of  lawlessness  already  working :  it  will 
then  be  known  as  now  in  its  secret  and  subtle  energies 
it  cannot  be.  It  is  at  length  to  culminate  in  open  and 
avowed  apostasy,  and  then  Antichrist's  road  is  ready 
and  his  path  made  straight.  The  seco7td  thing  is,  a 
certain  check  or  hindrance  which  must  be  removed  be- 
fore he  can  appear.     Paul  speaks  of  it  as  both  mascu- 


THE    EPISTLES    TO    THE    THESSALONIANS  II5 

line  and  neuter,  "  what  restraineth,"  "  he  who  now 
restraineth."  The  Thessalonians  knew  what  this  was  ; 
we  do  not,  and  it  becomes  us  to  move  cautiously  in 
seeking  its  interpretation.  An  undefined  restraint  held 
back  the  full  disclosure  of  this  mystery.  It  was  work- 
ing stealthily,  but  was  held  in  by  a  strong,  unnamed 
hand.  What  this  was,  many  have  sought  to  explain. 
Some  of  the  views  are  hardly  worth  even  mentioning, 
so  far  afield  they  are.  Others  have  a  semblance  of 
probability,  but  do  not  commend  themselves  to  the 
careful  and  judicious  mind.  There  are  three,  how- 
ever, that  may  be  adverted  to  because  they  commend 
themselves  to  many  reverent  students  of  prophecy. 
The  first  is  this  :  the  restraint  is  the  Roman  Empire, 
and  the  restrainer  is  the  head  of  that  complex  and 
powerful  system,  the  Emperor.  Hence  we  have  the 
explanation  of  Paul's  use  of  the  masculine  and  neuter 
genders  in  his  description  of  the  check  ;  the  one  ap- 
plying to  the  impersonal  power,  the  State,  the  other  to 
the  individual  head,  the  Emperor.  This  was  the  view 
of  the  great  majority  of  the  early  Fathers,  e.  g.,  Ter- 
tullian,  Augustine,  and  Chrysostom  ;  of  many  likewise 
in  modern  times.  So  deeply  convinced  were  the 
primitive  Fathers  of  the  correctness  of  the  view  that 
they  regarded  the  Empire  as  the  one  effective  barrier 
against  the  advent  of  the  Antichrist,  and  they  even 
prayed  that  it  might  be  preserved  and  perpetuated. 
Those  who  hold  that  the  Man  of  Sin  is  identical  with 
the  Papacy  hold  also  that  the  restraint  is  the  Roman 
State.  It  is  a  very  significant  fact  that  when  the 
Western   Empire  fell,  in  the  fifth  century,  the  Bishop 


I  1 6        OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

of  Rome  began  to  put  forth  his  enormous  claims  of 
headship  and  supremacy.  In  almost  exactly  two  hun- 
dred years  from  the  deposition  of  Augustulus  (a.  d. 
476),  the  Pope  had  assumed  the  Tiara,  the  symbol  of 
his  political  and  ecclesiastical  dignity  and  authority. 
Hence  a  Roman  CathoHc  writer  does  not  shrink  from 
saying,  "  A  secret  hand  chased  the  Emperors  from  the 
Eternal  City  to  give  it  to  the  head  of  the  Eternal 
Church  "  (De  Maistre).  The  remarkable  correspond- 
ence between  the  fall  of  the  Empire  and  the  rise  of  the 
Papacy  is  startling.  The  decline  and  fall  of  the  one 
and  the  gradual  development  of  the  other  until  uni- 
versal supremacy  became  Rome's  audacious  pretension 
are  matters  of  history. 

But  Romanism,  bad  as  it  is,  does  not  yet  measure 
up  to  the  Scripture  portrait  of  the  Antichrist.  What 
all  it  may  become  in  the  future  is  beyond  human  ken. 
The  Empire  with  its  imperial  head  cannot  be  proved 
to  be  the  hindrance  of  which  the  apostle  speaks. 

A  second  opinion  is,  that  the  restraining  power  is 
the  fabric  of  civil  society,  the  divinely  constituted  au- 
thority of  the  State.  The  name  given  to  the  Man  of 
Sin  seems  to  justify  this  view.  He  is  called  the  "  Law- 
less One  "  in  whom  all  law  is  discarded,  all  moral  order 
is  dethroned.  "  When  the  unseen  yet  withholding  in- 
fluence of  the  civil  power  with  its  moral  and  divine 
order  of  things  is  powerless  to  restrain  increasing  law- 
lessness, then  the  end  is  near,  is  come  "  (Luthardt). 
It  is  out  of  a  revolutionary  condition  of  society,  out  of 
shattered  states  and  disrupted  kingdoms,  that  Anti- 
christ has  his  rise.     History  affords  at  least  one  illus- 


THE   EPISTLES   TO   THE   THESSALONIANS  I  1 7 

trious  example  of  the  malignant  process  through 
which  the  world  will  travel  to  the  Man  of  Sin — the 
French  Revolution.  There  was  first  the  preparatory 
stage,  in  which  widespread  attacks  were  made  on  re- 
ligious faith  and  existing  institutions ;  the  revolution 
followed  which  overthrew  state  and  church,  society 
and  religion,  royalty,  nobility,  clergy,  laws,  customs, 
everything;  and  then  out  of  this  social  chaos  came 
Napoleon  and  his  empire. 

There  can  be  no  question  but  that  much  truth  lies 
in  this  explanation ;  indeed,  it  almost  amounts  to  a 
demonstration.  Nevertheless,  it  does  not  account  for 
Paul's  peculiar  terms,  ♦'  that  which  restraineth,"  and 
<'  he  who  restraineth." 

A  third  view  is,  the  Spirit  of  God  and  the  Christian 
church  constitute  the  check  which  holds  back  the  ap- 
pearing of  the  Man  of  Sin.  Not  until  the  full  com- 
plement of  the  chosen  of  God  in  this  dispensation  is 
achieved,  not  until  apostasy  has  become  predominant, 
and  the  church  has  been  swept  away  from  its  ground 
of  testimony,  completely  Laodiceanized^  will  the  ad- 
vent of  the  adversary  take  place. 

It  is  perhaps  in  a  combination  of  the  second  and 
third  of  these  opinions  that  the  truth  is  found.  But, 
whatever  the  hindrance  is,  one  thing  the  prediction 
puts  beyond  question,  viz.,  that  upon  its  removal  the 
mighty  foe  immediately  enters  on  the  scene  of  action. 
Let  it  be  further  observed,  that  the  removal  is  not 
gradual,  but  sudden.  The  terms  describing  his  coming 
permit  of  no  other  interpretation.  He  has  a  "  com- 
ing "  and  an  "  apocalypse,"  Hke  the  Son  of  God  Him- 


Il8        OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

self.  No  mortal  knows  when  the  obstruction  will  be 
taken  away — that  is  God's  secret.  But  so  soon  as  it 
goes,  then  the  tide  of  godlessness  with  Antichrist  its 
head  will  sweep  in. 

But  who  is  this  Man  of  Sin,  or  what  ?  Has  there 
appeared  in  the  field  of  history  any  person  or  any 
system  that  verifies  the  prediction?  Many  sober- 
minded  interpreters  find  the  fulfillment  of  this  great 
prophecy  in  Popery,  gathered  up  into  the  person  of 
the  supreme  Pontiff,  or  in  the  Papal  hierarchy  the 
head  of  which  is  the  occupant  of  the  Papal  chair. 
The  Reformers  as  a  body  entertained  this  view.  It 
was  held  by  some  even  in  pre-Reformation  times. 
And  there  is  no  little  verisimilitude  in  it.  The  marks 
of  correspondence  between  the  prediction  and  the 
Papacy  are  extraordinary,  almost  conclusive.  In  its 
marvellous  origin  and  history ;  in  its  near  relation  to 
the  old  Roman  Empire  as  its  heir  and  successor — for 
as  Wylie  says,  "  the  Papacy  is  the  ghost  of  Peter 
crowned  with  the  shadowy  diadem  of  the  old  Caesars  ; " 
in  its  wide  departure  from  the  truth  of  God;  in  its 
idolatry,  persecuting  spirit,  daring  assumptions  and 
blasphemous  pretensions,  the  Papacy,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, strikingly  resembles  the  Man  of  Sin.  No  one 
can  compare  the  two  without  feeling  the  force  of 
Richard  Baxter's  quaint  remark,  "  If  the  Pope  be  not 
Antichrist,  he  has  bad  luck  to  be  so  Hke  him."  But, 
wonderful  as  the  parallelism  is  and  traceable  to  almost 
any  length,  nevertheless  the  Papacy  does  not  fill  up 
nor  complete  the  titanic  portrait  of  the  final  adversary 
which  the  prophetic  word  furnishes  us.     Rather,  this 


THE   EPISTLES    TO    THE    THESSALONIANS  I  IQ 

system  belongs  to  the  apostasy  that  precedes  and 
issues  in  the  revelation  of  the  Man  of  Sin.  Rather,  it 
is  to  be  identified  with  the  mystic  Babylon  of  the 
Apocalypse,  the  dreadful  symbol  of  ecclesiastical 
apostasy  and  corruption.  Babylon  is  one  thing,  the 
*•  Beast "  is  quite  another.  But  the  Beast  is  the  Anti- 
christ, the  Man  of  Sin ;  hence  must  be  distinguished 
from  Babylon. 

The  Antichrist  is  a  person,  an  individual  man,  the 
man  of  prophecy.  Whatever  in  human  speech  be- 
tokens personality  and  personal  action  is  employed  by 
the  prophets  to  designate  a  man,  a  single  being.  Ac- 
cording to  Daniel,  he  is  ♦*  the  king  "  who  overthrows 
three  other  kings,  obtains  the  supremacy  over  the 
kingdom,  exalts  and  magnifies  himself  above  all,  speaks 
stout  words  against  the  Most  High,  persecutes  the 
saints,  and  thinks  to  change  the  times  and  the  law. 
According  to  Paul,  he  is  one  who  "  opposeth  and  ex- 
alteth  himself  above  all  that  is  called  God  or  that  is 
worshipped " ;  who  "  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God, 
showing  himself  that  he  is  God."  He  is  "  the  man  of 
sin,"  "  the  son  of  perdition,"  names  which  at  once 
fasten  on  him  the  idea  of  a  person.  "  The  terse  per- 
sonal language  of  Paul,"  writes  John  Eadie,  "  fore- 
pictures  one  human  being,  as  really  as  the  phrase  son 
of  perdition  described  from  the  Hps  of  our  Lord  the 
fate  of  Judas,  the  traitor."  This  man,  wholly  given 
over  to  sin,  practicing  lawlessness,  demanding  and  re- 
ceiving from  deluded  mortals  the  homage  which 
belongs  alone  to  the  Hving  God,  this  blasphemous 
creature  is  the  personal  antagonist  of  the  Lord  Jesus 


120       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

Christ,  is  the  counter-christ.  Both,  the  Lord  Jesus 
and  the  Antichrist,  are  individual  persons,  both  have 
an  apocalypse,  both  have  a  coming.  The  one,  Christ, 
has  hfe  and  glory  to  bestow ;  the  other,  ruin  and  perdition. 
The  preterist  interpreters,  i.  e.,  those  who  hold  that 
the  prophecy  had  its  fulfillment  in  the  Apostolic  age, 
or  shortly  thereafter,  pitch  on  the  Roman  Emperor 
Nero  as  the  object  of  the  prophecy  both  in  this  epistle 
and  in  the  Apocalypse.  He  was  the  first  persecutor 
of  Christians  as  head  of  the  State ;  he  was  a  monster 
in  crime  and  sensuaHty,  and  his  ruthless  and  causeless 
slaughter  of  Christ's  disciples  made  the  profoundest 
impression  on  the  Church.  But  there  are  insuperable 
objections  to  this  opinion.  Two  only  need  be  men- 
tioned. Nero  committed  suicide.  Both  Paul  and 
John  (Rev.  xix :  20)  positively  affirm  that  the  great 
Foe,  the  Antichrist,  is  destroyed  by  the  personal  and 
almighty  power  of  the  Son  of  God.  According  to 
these  inspired  witnesses  the  enemy  dies,  not  by  his 
own  hand  nor  by  the  hand  of  man  at  all,  but  by  Jesus 
Christ  alone.  If  Nero  was  the  Man  of  Sin,  then  these 
two  New  Testament  prophets  have  fatally  blundered, 
and  their  witness  to  a  supreme  fact  in  revelation  is 
overthrown  by  history.  Besides,  the  evidence  is  ac- 
cumulating that  the  Apocalypse  dates  at  a.  d.  93-96, 
as  Iraeneus  the  Great  so  positively  asserted.  Many 
whose  judgment  on  this  point  is  of  the  greatest  value 
and  weight  now  in  whole  or  in  part  accept  the  Domi- 
tian  date.i     If  such  is  the  true  date  of  the  book,  then 

iRamsey,    Orr,    Harnack,    etc.     "  Critical    opinion    appears   to   be 
steadily  returning  to  the  traditional  "  date,  A.  D.  90-96,  Purves. 


THE   EPISTLES    TO    THE   THESSALONIANS  121 

John's  prediction  of  the  Divine  judgment  on  the 
Beast  post-dates  Nero's  death  by  some  twenty-five  or 
more  years ;  therefore,  Nero  was  not  the  object  of  the 
prophecy  nor  could  be. 

It  is  important  to  note  that  in  the  apostles'  days  a 
new  cult  had  sprung  up,  the  worship  of  the  Emperor. 
It  was  Caesar  worship,  and  appears  to  have  been  in  full 
practice  when  Paul  wrote  his  epistles.  Never  has  the 
world  witnessed  so  blasphemous  pretensions  and  so 
abject  prostration  of  the  human  spirit.  The  Roman 
Senate  actually  decreed  divine  honours  to  the  Emperors, 
and  yet  some  of  them  were  the  basest  and  vilest  of 
mankind,  e.  g.,  Nero,  Caligula,  Domitian,  and  the  low- 
born, ferocious  Galerius.  As  Dr.  Orr  says,  "  it  was 
the  worship  of  the  Beast."  Vespasian  (a.  d.  76-79) 
when  dying  is  reported  to  have  said,  with  exquisitely 
fine  irony,  "  Woe's  me  !  I  think  I  am  turning  god  ! " 
Some  think  it  was  this  deification  of  the  Emperors 
which  suggested  the  character  of  the  Man  of  Sin  as 
drawn  by  Paul  in  verse  4 — his  exaltation  "  above  all  that 
is  called  God,  or  that  is  worshipped ;  so  that  he  sitteth 
in  the  temple  of  God,  showing  himself  that  he  is  God." 
But  the  like  spirit  was  found  in  men  long  before  Nero 
was  born,  e.  g.,  in  Pharaoh  of  Moses'  time,  in  Antiochus 
Epiphanes,  and  others.  Nor  is  it  at  all  difficult  to  be- 
Heve  that  the  same  sort  of  insane  and  inane  worship 
may  again  be  seen.  When  the  restraining  check  has 
been  withdrawn  and  diabolism  has  full  sway,  the  Man 
of  Sin  will  imperiously  demand  and  receive  the  homage 
which  belongs  alone  to  Almighty  God.  It  is  but  one 
hundred   and   eleven  years   since  atheism  in  France 


122       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

(1793)  reached  such  a  proud  pitch  of  impiety  that  a 
courtesan,  Demoiselle  Candeille,  of  the  Opera,  •*  bourne 
on  palanquin  shoulder  high,"  was  carried  into  the 
Cathedral  of  Notre  Dame,  and  worshipped  as  the  god- 
dess of  reason !  And  this  was  done  in  Paris  and  by 
the  National  Convention  of  the  French  people.  In 
spite  of  our  modern  civilization  and  culture,  nay,  be- 
cause of  it,  if  humanity  once  again  throws  off  all  law 
and  moral  restraint,  as  Scripture  affirms  it  will,  then 
the  deification  of  the  worst  and  most  blasphemous  of 
mortals  of  all  history  will  not  only  be  a  possibility  but 
an  actual  fact. 

The  doom  of  the  Man  of  Sin  is  brought  about  by 
supernatural  agency.  He  will  be  destroyed  by  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ — "  Whom  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  slay 
with  the  breath  of  His  mouth,  and  bring  to  nought  by 
the  manifestation  of  His  coming  "  (r.  v.,  cf.  Isa.  xi  :4). 
The  phrase,  "  manifestation  of  His  coming,"  expresses 
in  the  strongest  possible  way  the  final  and  total  over- 
throw of  the  adversary  by  the  personal  coming  of 
Christ.  "  The  brightness,"  of  a.  v.  hardly  gives  the 
exact  meaning  of  the  term.  In  five  other  places  it  is 
found,  in  all  of  which  it  is  translated  "  appearing,"  and 
in  one  of  them  (2  Tim.  i :  10),  it  is  used  of  the  Saviour's 
first  advent.  By  the  appearing  of  His  coming  the 
enemy  will  be  brought  to  nought.  Christ's  manifested 
presence  will  suffice  to  overwhelm  him.  In  the  hour 
of  our  Lord's  deepest  humiliation  in  the  Garden,  the 
multitude,  led  by  Judas,  the  other  "  son  of  perdition," 
went  backward  and  fell  to  the  ground  by  the  majestic 
presence  of  the  Son  of  God  and  by  the  word  of  His 


THE    EPISTLES    TO    THE   THESSALONIANS  123 

power.  In  the  last  days  of  the  Church's  deepest  hu- 
mihation  when  Antichrist  is  practicing  and  prospering 
(Dan.  viii :  12),  in  that  supreme  and  awful  time,  the  ap- 
pearing of  Christ's  coming  will  be  enough  to  end  for- 
ever the  reign  of  wickedness,  and  destroy  the  destroy- 
ers of  the  earth.  '•  It  is  enough  that  He  be  present, 
and  all  these  things  perish.  He  will  stay  the  decep- 
tion simply  by  appearing  "  (Chrysostom).  The  Man  of 
Sin  falls  before  the  "first  gleam  of  His  advent"  (Bengel). 

Is  this  to  be  the  final  issue  of  the  age  ?  The  science, 
discoveries,  culture ;  the  energy  and  achievements  of 
our  modern  era — are  they  all  to  terminate  in  world-wide 
godlessness  and  the  Man  of  Sin  ?  A  forbidding  out- 
look ;  one  utterly  repugnant  to  all  our  anticipations 
and  our  hopes.  One  whose  love  for  man  is  deathless, 
whose  power  is  matchless,  has  said :  "  As  it  was  in  the 
days  of  Noah,  so  shall  it  be  in  the  days  of  the  Son  of 
man  "  (Luke  xvii :  26).  How  was  it  in  the  days  of 
Noah  ?  The  whole  world  in  revolt  against  God,  and 
piety  reduced  to  a  family  of  eight  souls  !  "  Likewise 
also  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Lot " ;  and  how  was  it 
then?  Corruption  had  culminated,  godlessness  was  at 
the  flood  (Luke  xvii :  28-30). 

There  are  principles  and  tendencies  at  work  in  our 
modern  society  which  if  left  unchecked  will  ere  long 
make  the  advent  of  the  Antichrist  not  only  possible 
but  certain.  The  lawless  drift  is  already  on  us,  pre- 
cursor of  worse  to  come.  Who  does  not  perceive  that 
the  axe  is  already  aimed  at  the  chief  hoops  that  bind 
together  the  staves  of  the  civil  polity  ?  The  restless- 
ness under  restraint,  the  revolt  against  authority  and 


124       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

law,  the  spread  of  socialism,  the  growth  of  agnosti- 
cism, the  assaults  on  the  Bible,  the  chief  anchor  of  all 
true  religion,  the  prevalence  of  materialism,  fostered  as 
it  is  by  the  science  and  commercialism  of  our  time,  the 
enormous  greed  of  those  who  have  and  who  want  still 
more,  the  deep,  ominous  growl  of  those  who  have  not, 
who  want  and  will  have — all  this  betokens  the  break- 
ing down  of  the  barriers,  and  the  speedy  advent  of  the 
great  adversary. 

It  is  curious  how  the  feeling  of  an  impending  crisis 
takes  hold  of  thoughtful  men  who  differ  most  widely 
in  their  views  of  revealed  truth.  More  than  fifty  years 
ago  Chalmers  wrote :  "  As  far  as  we  can  read  into  the 
prophecies  of  the  time  that  is  before  us,  we  feel  as  if 
there  was  to  be  the  arrest  of  a  sudden  and  unlooked- 
for  visitation  to  be  laid  on  the  ordinary  processes  of 
nature  and  history,  and  that  the  millennium  is  to  be 
ushered  in,  in  the  midst  of  judgments  and  desolations 
and  frightful  convulsions,  which  will  uproot  the  present 
fabric  of  society  and  shake  the  framework  of  its  ma- 
chinery to  pieces  "  (Evidences  i :  372). 

D'Israeli  said  in  1874 :  "  The  great  crisis  of  the  world 
is  nearer  than  some  suppose."  Prof.  Goldwin  Smith 
wrote  more  recently  : "  There  is  a  general  feeling  abroad 
that  the  stream  of  history  is  drawing  near  a  climax 
now ;  and  there  are  apparent  grounds  for  the  surmise. 
There  is  everywhere  in  the  social  frame  an  untoward  un- 
rest, which  is  usually  a  sign  of  fundamental  change  within." 

The  Frenchman  spoke  well,  perhaps  better  than  he 
who  lately  said,  "  I  think  I  hear  the  galloping  of  the 
man  on  horseback." 


THE  PASTORAL  EPISTLES 

First  Timothy,  Second  Timothy,  Titus 

These  Scriptures  belong  to  the  fourth  group  of  Paul's 
acknowledged  writings.  They  are  commonly  called 
Pastoral  because  addressed  to  ministers  in  charge  of 
important  Christian  churches.  Timothy  had  the  over- 
sight of  the  great  church  at  Ephesus  (i  Tim.  i :  3), 
while  Titus  was  stationed  in  Crete,  "  to  set  in  order  the 
things  that  are  wanting"  (i :  5). 

Some  difficult  questions  confront  one  who  sits  down 
to  a  careful  study  of  these  three  epistles.  One  relates 
to  their  authorship.  Are  they  of  Paul,  as  each  of 
them  attests,  or  are  they  forgeries  ?  Another  pertains 
to  their  date — when  were  they  written?  Each  of 
these  inquiries  involves  the  other.  It  is  impossible  to 
discuss  the  authorship  without  likewise  determining,  or 
trying  to  determine,  the  time  of  their  composition. 
For,  with  our  present  light  it  seems  impossible  to  fit 
these  epistles  into  the  record  of  the  Acts.  Acts 
closes  wath  Paul's  Roman  imprisonment,  with  his 
activity  in  his  own  hired  house  (xxviii :  30,  31).  There 
appears  to  be  no  possibility  of  adjusting  the  historical 
situation  that  these  epistles  present  with  Paul's  history 
as  given  by  Luke.  Accordingly,  it  is  believed  by  the 
great  majority  of  intelligent  Bible  students  that  Paul 
suffered    two    imprisonments    at  Rome ;  that  he  was 

125 


126        OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

delivered  from  his  captivity  about  A.  d.  63 — the  cap- 
tivity which  Luke  describes  in  Acts  xxviii,  and  that 
afterwards  he  spent  some  few  years  in  his  great  work 
as  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  that  he  was  again 
arrested,  carried  to  Rome,  and  suffered  death  near  the 
imperial  city,  probably  on  the  Ostian  Way,  as  tradition 
tells.  Now,  if  two  Roman  imprisonments  are  admitted, 
most  if  not  all  the  difficulties  are  satisfactorily  ex- 
plained. But  if  not,  the  PauHne  authorship  of  the 
Pastoral  Epistles  cannot  be  successfully  maintained. 

It  is  not  the  purpose  of  these  studies  to  vindicate 
the  genuineness  and  authenticity  of  the  books  of  the 
New  Testament.  Our  field  lies  apart  from  the  dis- 
cussion of  these  important  matters.  And  yet  some 
proof  must  be  given  in  support  of  our  belief  in  the 
Pauline  authorship  of  these  letters.  This  is  necessary 
since  of  all  the  epistles  of  the  New  Testament,  no 
others  save  perhaps  one  or  two,  are  so  vigorously  con- 
tested as  these.  In  fact,  the  majority  of  the  liberal 
and  rationalistic  school  of  interpreters  deny  they  were 
written  by  Paul,  though  some  of  that  party  admit  a 
Pauline  kernel,  i.  e.y  the  writer,  who  was  later  than 
Paul,  probably  used  some  "  fragments,"  or  rough  notes 
of  the  apostle  in  the  composition  of  these  epistles. 
Who  this  later  writer  was,  or  how  he  came  into  pos- 
session of  Paul's  "  notes  "  out  of  which  he  constructed 
his  letters  and  attached  Paul's  name  to  them,  does  not 
appear. 

A  brief  summary  of  the  grounds  on  which  the  apos- 
tolic authority  of  the  Pastoral  Epistles  rests  is  here  sub- 
mitted,    (i)  They  are  attested  by  antiquity.     Clement 


THE    PASTORAL   EPISTLES  12/ 

of  Rome  probably  (a.  d.  96),  certainly  Polycarp  of 
Symrna  (a.  d.  no),  Ignatius  of  Antioch  (a.  d.  no), 
Irenaeus  (c.  a.  d.  180),  TertuUian  (c.  a.  d.  200),  Clement 
of  Alexandria  (c.  A.  d.  180),  Justin  Martyr  probably 
(c.  A.  D.  150),  Theophilus  of  Antioch  (c.  a.  d.  168),  Ep.  of 
ch.  of  Lyon  and  Vienne  (a.  d.  177),  are  some  of  the  early 
witnesses  who  recognize  these  epistles,  who  quote  from 
or  refer  to  them,  as  Scripture.  They  are  found  with 
Paul's  other  epistles  in  the  Syriac  Version  (c.  a.  d.  i  30), 
in  the  Old  Latin  Version  (c.  a.  d.  150),  and  in  the  Mura- 
torian  Canon  (c.  a.  d.  170).  Thus,  from  the  close  of 
the  first  century  to  the  beginning  of  the  third,  Christian 
writers  both  of  the  East  and  the  West,  in  Syria,  Asia 
Minor,  Italy,  Egypt,  and  North  Africa  ;  in  the  first 
translations  made  of  the  New  Testament,  and  in  the 
first  catalogue  containing  a  list  of  its  books  which  has 
come  down  to  us ;  over  the  whole  field  of  the  primi- 
tive Church,  the  testimony  to  the  genuineness  and 
authenticity  of  these  letters  is  practically  unanimous. 
Marcion  the  heretic  (c.  a.  d.  140)  rejected  them  on 
dogmatic  grounds,  and  yet  Dr.  Lock  of  Oxford  asserts 
that  Marcion  was  acquainted  with  them  (Hast.  Die. 
Bi.,  article  in  loc).  Tatian  also,  another  heretic,  re- 
fused to  receive  them  as  Scripture,  yet  he  is  said  to 
quote  from  Titus  (c.  a.  d.  160).  Scholars,  such  as 
Hippolytus,  Athanasius,  Eusebius,  Jerome,  Augustine, 
the  peers  of  those  of  our  own  time,  unhesitatingly  re- 
ceived these  epistles  as  authentic  and  as  a  part  of 
holy  Scripture.  These  men  lived  and  bore  their 
splendid  witness  at  a  time  much  nearer  the  formation 
of  the  canon  than  do  we ;  they  were  cognizant  of  the 


128       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

questions  touching  disputed  books,  they  were  familiar 
with  the  objections  urged  against  certain  portions  of 
the  New  Testament,  and  yet  they  fully  accepted  these. 
If  their  judgment  is  to  be  reversed,  most  weighty  and 
conclusive  reasons  for  such  procedure  must  be  offered. 
In  the  opinion  of  the  vast  majority  of  evangelical 
scholars  no  adequate  reasons  have  been  presented,  nor 
are  likely  to  be.  Until  they  are,  beHevers  in  the  in- 
tegrity and  authority  of  Scripture  will  do  well  to  adopt 
Dante's  words — gtiarda,  e  passu — "  look,  and  pass  on  ! " 

(2)  The  internal  evidence  corroborates  the  historical 
just  adduced.  In  the  first  place,  each  of  these  epistles 
expressly  asserts  that  the  writer  is  Paul,  the  apostle 
of  Jesus  Christ  (i  Tim.  i  :  i  ;  2  Tim.  i :  i  ;  Titus  i  :  i). 
He  would  be  a  bold  impostor  indeed  who  should  thus 
forge  the  name  of  this  great  and  honoured  servant  of 
Christ  to  give  currency  to  so  base  a  fraud.  Believing 
Christians  must  have  the  clearest  and  most  positive 
proof  ere  they  can  be  persuaded  that  these  three 
precious  documents  bear  on  their  foreheads  a  hideous 
and  blasphemous  lie !  Such  proof  has  not  hitherto 
been  produced. 

In  the  second  place,  the  personal  and  historical 
references  indicate  that  Paul  was  the  author.  In 
I  Tim.  i:  13-16,  he  speaks  of  himself  as  once  a 
blasphemer,  a  persecutor,  and  injurious,  a  description 
which  finds  an  almost  exact  parallel  in  his  words  be- 
fore Agrippa  and  Festus  (Acts  xxvi :  9-11).  In  the 
same  chapter  (i :  20)  he  tells  Timothy  that,  in  the 
exercise  of  his  Apostolic  authority  he  had  delivered 
two  men  unto  Satan — ^just  as  he  had  done  in  the  case 


THE    PASTORAL   EPISTLES  1 29 

of  the  incestuous  person  at  Corinth  (i  Cor.  v:  5).  He 
reminds  this  young  pastor  that  he  was  well  acquainted 
with  his  teaching,  manner  of  life,  persecutions  and 
afflictions  which  came  to  him  at  Antioch,  at  Iconium, 
at  Lystra  (2  Tim.  iii :  lO-i  2).  This  appeal  to  Timothy's 
knowledge  of  certain  facts  in  Paul's  life  exactly  ac- 
cords with  the  record  of  Acts  xiv :  8-19;  xvi :  1-3. 
Moreover,  his  intimate  acquaintance  with  Timothy's 
family  at  Lystra,  with  the  godly  training  in  the 
Scriptures  which  he  had  received  from  his  grand- 
mother Lois  and  his  mother  Unice  and  his  knowledge 
of  the  Old  Testament  thus  acquired  is  further  and 
strong  proof  that  he  who  recalls  them  and  writes  them 
down  is  none  other  than  Paul.  Then,  too,  the  familiar 
names  of  Paul's  beloved  friends  and  fellow  workers 
here  meet  us,  as  Timothy,  Titus,  Luke,  Apollos,  Priscilla 
and  Aquila,  ]Mark,  Tychicus,  Trophimus,  Demas — 
names  that  recur  in  two  of  the  epistles,  and  that  are 
found  in  Paul's  other  epistles  and  in  the  Acts.  The 
writer  is  moving  in  ApostoHc  circles  exclusively.  But 
there  are  also  some  new  names  found  nowhere  else,  as 
Crescens  (2  Tim.  iv  :  10),  Artemas,  Zenas  (Titus  iii : 
12,  13).  Those  whose  greetings  he  sends  Timothy 
are  Romans,  Eubulus,  Pudens,  Linus,  and  Claudia 
(2  Tim.  iv:  21  j;  for  Paul  was  a  prisoner  at  Rome 
when  he  wrote  his  second  letter  to  Timothy,  and  no 
doubt  these  persons  were  with  him  at  the  time.  Two 
plain  and  unmistakable  inferences  may  be  deduced 
from  the  names  introduced  into  these  letters,  (i)  that 
they  were  written  by  an  apostle  and  in  Apostolic 
times ;  and  the  writer  could  be  no  other  than  Paul ; 


130       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

(2)  that  they  were  written  late  in  his  Hfe  and  on  the 
threshold  of  his  death.  Is  it  said,  A  forger  could 
have  used  these  names  to  give  greater  credit  to  his 
forgery  ?  All  one  needs  to  say  of  such  an  hypothesis 
is  that  it  may  be  employed  to  overturn  all  ancient  his- 
tory and  expunge  all  records,  so  that  we  may  believe 
absolutely  nothing,  or  just  so  much  as  we  please.  On 
such  a  principle  of  negation,  all  human  testimony  may 
be  annulled  and  all  records  of  the  past  may  be  wiped 
out. 

In  the  third  place,  Paul's  distinctive  doctrine  of 
grace  is  as  prominent  here  as  in  his  other  writings.  It 
but  needs  to  mention  a  few  specimens  as  evidence  of 
the  statement.  Note  the  sovereignty  of  grace  in 
salvation  (i  Tim.  i :  14  ;  vi :  12  ;  Titus  ii :  ii,  iii :  4-7 ; 
2  Tim.  i :  9 ;  ii :  10,  19).  Salvation  is  obtained  through 
redemption  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  (i  Tim.  i:  15  ; 
ii:  5,  6;  Titus  ii :  14).  It  is  imparted  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  (Titus  iii :  5,6);  and  secures  justification  before 
God,  and  makes  us  heirs  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life 
(Titus  iii :  7).  The  familiar  PauHne  phrase,  "  in 
Christ"  is  of  frequent  occurrence  (i  Tim.  i:  14;  iii: 
1 3  ;  2  Tim.  i :  i ,  9,  1 3  ;  ii :  I  ;  iii :  1 2,  1 5).  The  Lord's 
coming  as  the  object  of  the  believer's  hope  is  the 
same  as  that  of  earlier  epistles  (i  Tim.  vi :  14;  2  Tim. 
iv :  I,  2;  Titus  ii :  11-15).  The  doctrine  of  grace,  in 
short,  is  identical  with  that  of  Paul  in  all  his  epistles. 
So,  likewise,  are  the  exhortations  to  various  Christian 
duties  and  relations,  as,  e.  g.,  obedience  to  civil 
authorities,  reciprocal  duties  of  husbands  and  wives, 
parents    and    children,    masters    and    servants,    and 


THE   PASTORAL   EPISTLES  I3I 

brethren  in  the  household  of  faith,  are  strikingly  akin 
to  those  of  Paul's  other  letters,  are,  indeed,  in  spirit 
and  temper  the  same. 

Furthermore,  the  intellectual  strength,  the  ardent 
love,  the  deep  earnestness,  and  the  burning  intensity 
of  Paul  are  obviously  all  present  in  the  pastoral  letters. 
Although  written  late  in  his  life,  there  is  no  abatement 
of  his  zeal  and  faithfulness ;  his  loyalty  and  devotion 
to  the  truth  of  God  suffer  no  decay  or  diminution,  they 
remain  with  unflagging  energy  to  the  close.  All 
through  these  epistles  we  see  the  mental  vigour,  the 
sober  common  sense,  the  practical  and  sagacious  ad- 
vice, the  ardent  piety,  the  self-sacrificing  spirit,  the 
heavenly  mindedness  of  the  apostle  to  the  Gentiles. 
Now,  contrast  these  epistles  with  others  written  near 
the  close  of  the  first  century,  or  at  the  opening  of  the 
second ;  letters  written  by  devout  and  able  men ; 
written  to  Christian  communities  and  churches ;  on 
themes  akin  to  those  treated  in  the  pastoral ;  as,  e,  g., 
the  epistle  of  Barnabas,  so-called,  which  some  date  as 
early  as  a.  d.  70-79  (Lightfoot,  Humphreys) ;  Clement 
of  Rome  (a.  d.  96) ;  Poly  carp,  Ignatius,  etc.,  and  one 
at  once  perceives  the  immeasurable  distance  between 
them  and  the  Pastoral  Epistles.  You  are  in  another 
world  of  literature  when  you  pass  from  these  of  Paul 
to  those  of  the  good  men  above  mentioned.  It  would 
require  the  equal  of  Paul  to  forge  such  letters  as  these. 
But  Paul's  equal  was  not  found  in  the  first  century, 
nor  in  the  second,  nor  in  the  twentieth,  though  some 
now  tax  him  with  blunders  and  errors  who  would 
have  been  eloquently  dumb  in  his  presence !     To  at- 


132       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

tribute  them  to  some   unknown  fraudulent  impostor 
instead  of  to  Paul  "  is  a  caricature  of  criticism." 

There  are,  however,  peculiarities  in  these  epistles 
which  give  them  a  very  distinct  character,  and  which 
set  them  off  in  a  class  by  themselves.  The  pecuHari- 
ties  relate  (i)  to  language;  (2)  to  the  errors  de- 
nounced ;  (3)  the  advanced  form  of  organization  in 
the  church.  These  are  the  main  difficulties  on  which 
the  denial  of  Paul's  authorship  of  these  letters  rests. 
But  even  a  cursory  examination  of  them  brings  one 
face  to  face  with  the  question  of  their  date.  When 
were  they  written  ? — Before  or  during  Paul's  first  cap- 
tivity at  Rome  ?  Then  the  difficulties  indicated  above 
become  inexplicable.  With  the  light  we  now  have 
these  letters  cannot  be  fitted  into  the  closing  chapters 
of  Acts,  nor  into  some  of  the  prison  epistles,  e.  g., 
Philippians  and  Colossians.  We  are  persuaded  that 
almost  all  the  difficulties  disappear  when  we  recognize 
two  imprisonments,  with  a  few  years  intervening  be- 
tween them. 

The  apostle  reached  Rome  the  first  time  about 
A.  D.  61.  He  remained  there  a  prisoner  two  whole 
years  (Acts  xxviii :  30).  Thence  he  wrote  Ephesians, 
Philippians,  Colossians,  and  Philemon.  In  each  of 
these  he  specifically  mentions  his  *'  bonds  "  (Eph.  iii  : 
i;  Phil,  i:;;  Col.  iv:i8;  Phile.  9).  But  in  I  Tim. 
and  in  Titus  there  is  no  hint  that  he  was  a  prisoner  at 
the  time  of  writing.  On  the  contrary,  every  indica- 
tion points  to  his  enjoyment  of  liberty.  In  i  Tim.  iii : 
14,  15,  he  expects  to  visit  his  friend  "shortly,"  lan- 
guage which  only  a  free  man  could  properly  use  (cf. 


THE   PASTORAL   EPISTLES  I  33 

iv  :  1 3).  In  Tit.  iii.  Paul  directs  his  fellow  worker  to 
meet  him  at  Nicopolis,  "  for  I  expect  to  winter  there." 
This  could  not  be  the  language  of  a  prisoner.  If  Ni- 
copolis of  Epirus  is  meant,  as  many  suppose,  then  Paul 
was  not  at  Rome  at  all  when  he  wrote ;  he  was  per- 
haps in  Macedonia  or  Achaia.  Nor  was  he  a  priso- 
ner, for  he  plans  his  own  movements  with  complete 
freedom.  The  conclusion  is,  that  during  Paul's  four 
years  of  captivity  (two  at  Caesarea,  Acts  xxiv :  27,  two 
at  Rome,  xxviii :  30),  the  Pastoral  Epistles  were  not  writ- 
ten. Nor  could  they  have  been  before  his  arrest  at 
Jerusalem  ;  their  contents  forbid  the  supposition.  For, 
in  I  Tim.  i :  3  he  wishes  Timothy  to  remain  at  Ephe- 
sus.  There  are  but  two  visits  to  Ephesus  recorded  in 
Acts.  The  first  was  very  brief  (Acts  xviii :  19-22). 
The  second  lasted  three  years  (xix  :  31).  But  instead 
of  directing  him  to  remain  at  Ephesus  he  sent  Timothy 
on  before  him  into  Macedonia,  where  he  purposed  also 
going  (xix  :  22).  Besides,  he  foretold  and  forewarned 
the  elders  of  Ephesus  of  the  rise  among  them  of  error- 
ists  and  heretics  (xx :  29,  30).  The  Epistles  to  Timo- 
thy most  clearly  attest  the  presence  of  these  evil-work- 
ers at  Ephesus.  But  this  must  have  happened  after 
Paul's  prediction  to  the  elders  else  we  have  the  singular 
anomaly  of  the  fact  being  present  before  the  predic- 
tion ! 

The  only  satisfactory  solution  of  these  and  the  like 
difficulties  is  this  :  Paul  was  released  from  his  Roman 
captivity,  as  he  confidently  expected  (Phil,  i :  25  ;  ii : 
24;  Phile.  22).  Else,  what  possible  explanation  can 
there  be  of  Tit.  i :  5  ? — "  For  this  cause  left  I  thee  in 


134       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

Crete  " — implying  that  the  apostle  himself  had  been  in 
the  island.  The  only  mention  of  Crete  in  Acts  is  in 
xxvii :  7.  But  he  neither  preached  nor  organized 
churches  at  that  time.  Nor  is  there  any  place  in 
Acts  where  this  visit  to  Crete  could  be  inserted. 
Again,  he  left  Trophimus  at  Miletus  sick  (2  Tim. 
iv :  20).  When  Paul  was  at  Miletus  on  his  way  to 
Jerusalem  (Acts  xx  :  17),  he  did  not  leave  him  there ; 
Trophimus  accompanied  him  (xxi :  29).  Therefore, 
the  apostle  must  have  been  twice  at  Miletus,  and  some 
years  separate  the  two  visits. 

It  was  Paul's  cherished  wish  to  visit  Spain  (Rom. 
XV :  24,  28).  If  ancient  testimony  is  allowed  any 
weight,  he  fulfilled  this  wish.  Clement  of  Rome,  writ- 
ing about  the  end  of  the  first  century,  says  Paul  jour- 
neyed to  the  "  utmost  bound  of  the  west."  This  ex- 
pression does  not  mean  Italy,  but  the  Columns  of  Her- 
cules (straits  of  Gibraltar),  which  marked  the  utmost 
western  bounds  of  the  old  world.  The  Muratori  Frag- 
ment (c.  A.  D.  170)  expressly  says  that  Paul  on  leaving 
the  city  (Rome)  went  to  Spain.  He  could  not  have 
gone  thither  before  his  first  imprisonment,  so  it  must 
have  been  thereafter.  Eusebius,  Chrysostom,  and  Je- 
rome all  attest  it.  Eusebius  says  that  at  the  end  of 
the  two  years,  it  was  currently  reported,  Paul  went 
forth  again  upon  the  ministry  of  preaching ;  and  in  a 
second  visit  to  the  city  ended  his  life  by  martyrdom 
under  Nero,  and  that  during  this  imprisonment  he 
wrote  the  Second  Epistle  to  Timothy.  We  may  con- 
clude, therefore,  that  the  apostle  was  liberated  about 
A.  D.  63  ;  that  he  went  forth  once  more  a  free  man ; 


THE    PASTORAL   EPISTLES  135 

that  he  probably  visited  Spain,  then  the  East ;  that  he 
wrote  I  Timothy  and  Titus  whfle  free,  probably  about 
A-  D.  65-66 ;  that  he  was  again  arrested  and  im- 
prisoned in  Rome  whence  he  wrote  2  Timothy,  about 
A.  D.  67.  Three  or  four  years  intervene  between  his 
release  and  the  second  arrest.  Eight  or  more  years 
lie  between  his  farewell  address  to  the  elders  of  Ephe- 
sus  and  his  death. 

Here,  then,  is  ample  time  for  the  development  of 
new  conditions  at  Ephesus,  and  perhaps  other  places 
of  Asia  Minor,  for  the  growth  of  the  erroneous  and 
insidious  teachings  to  which  the  Pastoral  Epistles  refer. 
What  was  the  nature  of  the  heresies  ?  They  consisted 
partly  of  philosophical  speculations,  but  mainly  of 
Jewish  fables  (Tit.  i:i4;  i  Tim.  1:4;  iv :  7  ;  2  Tim. 
iv :  4).  Incipient  Gnosticism  was  already  infecting 
some  of  the  church  at  Colossae  (Col.  ii).  The  same 
evil  appears  also  in  these  letters,  as  the  peculiar  ex- 
pression, "  oppositions  of  knowledge  falsely  so  called  " 
(i  Tim.  vi :  20)  indicates.  There  were  those  who 
boasted  of  the  possession  of  a  mysterious  and  recon- 
dite knowledge,  such  as  the  commonalty  of  Christians 
were  ignorant  of.  Besides,  we  see  in  these  epistles 
the  presence  also  of  Jewish  teachings  regarding 
"  genealogies,"  "  the  law,"  etc.,  which  Paul  stigmatizes 
as  foolish,  unprofitable,  vain  (Tit.  iii :  9),  and  de- 
nounces all  such  teachers  of  the  law  as  *♦  understand- 
ing neither  what  they  say  nor  whereof  they  affirm." 
Then,  too,  a  rigid  asceticism  was  being  taught,  just  as 
in  the  Colossian  church.  The  errors  which  the  apos- 
tle denounces  are  those  of  the  first  century,  not  at  all 


136       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

those  of  the  second  when  Gnosticism  flourished. 
Almost  the  same  conditions  are  found  here  as  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Colossians.  Hence  the  argument  drawn 
from  the  heresies  described  in  denial  of  their  authen- 
ticity falls  to  the  ground. 

As  to  the  advanced  form  of  church  organization 
something  will  be  said  further  on  in  this  study. 

That  there  are  peculiarities  of  style  and  diction  is 
freely  admitted.  Here  many  new  words  are  found, 
and  uncommon  forms  of  expression  occur.  But  the 
subjects  treated  largely  account  for  the  peculiarities. 
Nor  are  such  hnguistic  differences  unusual  with  Paul. 
Humphreys  notes  that  the  first  group  of  Paul's  epistles 
(1,2  Thess.),  contains  fifteen  phrases  not  common  to 
his  other  epistles;  the  second  group  (Rom.,  i,  2  Cor., 
Gal.),  contains  118;  the  third  group  (Eph.,  Phil.,  Col., 
Phile.),  forty-eight ;  the  fourth  or  pastoral  group,  fifty- 
one  such  phrases.  He  was  not  the  slave  of  a  rigid 
lexical  uniformity.  His  vocabulary  was  large  and 
varied.  When  we  take  into  account  the  subjects 
dealt  with  by  the  apostle,  the  versatility  of  his  master 
mind,  the  historical  situations  out  of  which  most  of  his 
epistles  sprang,  the  argument  against  these  letters 
founded  on  the  style  and  diction  dissolves  into  thin 
air.  It  is  pertinent  to  ask,  as  Schaff  does,  "  why  a 
forger  should  have  chosen  so  many  new  words  when 
he  might  have  confined  himself  much  more  closely  to 
the  vocabulary  of  the  other  Epistles  of  Paul  ?  "  There 
exists  an  example  in  point,  the  apocryphal  "  Epistle 
to  the  Laodiceans."  "  For  more  than  nine  centuries 
this   forged  epistle  hovered  about  the  doors   of  the 


THE    PASTORAL   EPISTLES  13/ 

sacred  canon "  (Lightfoot).  This  document  is  com- 
posed almost  entirely  of  words,  phrases,  and  sentences 
taken  chiefly  from  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Philippians, 
with  slight  pillage  from  Galatians  and  Ephesians.  It 
was  repudiated  because  of  its  glaring  plagiarism. 
Nothing  would  have  been  easier  than  for  the  forger  of 
the  Pastoral  Letters  to  have  pieced  out  his  composi- 
tion from  Paul's  writings.  But  the  Pastoral  Epistles 
are  far  enough  removed  from  such  clumsy  procedure. 
The  fact  of  so  many  new  and  virile  words  and  phrases 
is  proof,  not  of  fabrication,  but  of  genuineness.  The 
order  of  time  of  the  epistles  is,  i  Tim.,  Titus,  2  Tim. 


TIMOTHY 


This  devoted  friend  of  Paul  and  servant  of  Christ 
was  probably  a  native  of  Lystra  (Acts  xvi :  1,2).  He 
first  heard  the  good  news  of  salvation  from  Paul  when 
he  visited  the  cities  of  Lycaonia  (Acts  xiv :  6,  7).  The 
seed  fell  into  prepared  soil  (2  Tim.  1:5;  iii :  14,  15). 
He  had  been  trained  from  a  child  in  the  knowledge  of 
•the  Scriptures  by  his  mother  and  grandmother.  But 
he  was  of  mixed  parentage,  the  son  of  a  Jewess  and  of 
a  Greek  father.  Him  Paul  circumcised  in  deference 
to  Jewish  prejudice.  This  the  apostle  could  well  do 
without  sacrificing  any  principle.  But  when  the  Jew- 
ish party  at  Jerusalem  demanded  that  Titus  should 
submit  to  the  rite,  not  as  a  concession  to  weaker 
brethren,  but  as  a  condition  of  salvation,  Paul  inter- 


138       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

posed  his  imperative,  •*  No,  not  for  an  hour "  (Gal. 
ii :  3-5).  How  helpful  Timothy  became  to  the  apostle, 
what  wealth  of  affection  he  poured  out  upon  him,  how 
fully  and  constantly  he  trusted  him,  what  sweet  fellow- 
ship he  had  with  him,  and  how  comforted  he  was  by 
his  presence  amid  the  scenes  of  his  stormy,  suffering 
ministry,  we  know  from  his  letters  to  the  young 
evangelist.  He  refused  Mark  as  a  colabourer  because 
not  sure  of  him;  he  chose  Timothy  because  he 
discerned  in  him  docility,  fidelity,  and  steadfastness  ; 
and  he  never  repented  his  choice.  Timothy  was  one 
of  the  magnificent  compensations  Paul  enjoyed  for  the 
cruel  treatment  he  received  at  Lystra  (Acts  xiv:  19). 


TITUS 

All  we  know  of  this  companion  of  Paul  is  derived 
from  the  epistles.  He  is  never  mentioned  in  the 
Acts.  It  has  been  conjectured  that  his  name  Titus 
was  a  second  name  of  some  one  of  Paul's  friends — a 
notion  with  no  basis  of  fact.  Attempts  have  been 
made  to  identify  him  with  Titus  Justus  (Acts  xviii :  7, 
R.  V.)  but  this  also  is  mere  guessing.  We  know  that 
he  was  a  pure  Greek  (Gal.  ii :  3).  His  home  seems  to 
have  been  Antioch  of  Syria,  but  whether  this  was  his 
birthplace  we  do  not  know.  He  accompanied  Paul 
and  Barnabas  to  Jerusalem  for  the  adjudication  of  the 
serious  questions  which  had  arisen  in  the  church  of 
Antioch.     He   must  have  been  grown  at  the  time. 


THE    PASTORAL   EPISTLES  I  39 

perhaps  twenty  years  of  age.  Nothing  is  said  of  him 
in  connection  with  Paul's  second  missionary  journey, 
which  followed  soon  after  the  adjournment  of  the 
Council  at  Jerusalem  (Acts  xv:  36).  It  was  during 
this  tour  that  Timothy  received  his  call  to  the  ministry 
with  Paul.  It  is  likely  that  when  Paul  and  Silas  set 
out  from  Antioch  on  their  mission  to  the  Gentiles, 
Titus  was  left  behind.  But  on  the  third  journey  the 
apostle  appears  to  have  taken  both  the  young  men 
with  him,  for  they  were  with  him  at  Ephesus,  and 
proved  to  be  most  efficient  and  helpful  in  the  great 
work  in  the  pro-consular  capital.  It  was  to  Titus  the 
very  difficult  and  delicate  task  was  committed  of  com- 
posing the  troubles  that  were  distracting  the  church  of 
Corinth  (2  Cor.  ii:  13;  xii:  18;  vii :  6,  7,  13,  15). 
Paul's  Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  proves  how 
successfully  Titus  had  accomplished  his  mission — with 
how  much  prudence  and  tact  he  had  conducted  and 
concluded  it.  We  rightly  infer  that  he  was  an  able 
and  gifted  man.  Bishop  Lightfoot  hardly  does  him 
justice  in  his  fine  article  on  Titus'  "  Mission  to  the 
Corinthians"  (Bib.  Essays,  p.  281).  Paul  certainly 
would  never  have  sent  him  to  Crete,  one  of  the  hardest 
fields,  had  he  not  possessed  real  aptitude  for  just  such 
trying  situations.  The  apostle  had  the  eye  and  the 
intellect  of  a  great  general.  He  read  and  knew  men, 
and  his  estimate  of  them  and  of  their  capabilities  was 
never  at  fault.  The  fidelity,  devotion,  and  ability 
which  he  discerned  in  these  young  men,  Timothy  and 
Titus,  amply  justified  his  choice  of  them  as  compan- 
ions and  fellow  workers  in  the  field  of  truth.     Wher- 


140       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

ever  they  were  sent,  and  upon  whatsoever  errand,  they 
seem  never  to  have  disappointed  his  expectations,  nor 
to  have  committed  mistakes  which  he  must  painfully 
rectify.  When  his  end  was  fast  approaching,  he 
called  the  faithful  Timothy  to  his  side,  and  sent  Titus 
to  Dalmatia,  the  ancient  Illyricum,  perhaps  to  the 
neighbourhood  of  Nicopolis  where  the  apostle  had  ex- 
pected to  winter  (Tit.  iii :  12),  but  which  purpose  was 
no  doubt  frustrated  by  his  arrest  and  imprisonment  at 
Rome.  Down  to  the  close  of  this  heroic  life  Timothy 
and  Titus  are  found  faithful  and  true. 


Analysis. 
First  Timothy. 

The  epistle  falls  into  two  parts  : — Part  I  (i-iii :  1 3). 
Part  II  (iii  :  14-vi). 

{a)  Part  I  (chaps,  i-iii :  13).  In  this  section  the  fol- 
lowing subdivisions  may  be  noted : 

1.  The  greeting  (i  :  I,  2). 

2.  Charge  to  Timothy  (i :  3-11).  The  charge  in- 
volves these  duties,  viz.,  to  arrest  the  false  teach- 
ing, to  warn  certain  men  of  their  ignorant  and 
dangerous  perversions  of  the  Gospel,  and  to 
teach  the  true  nature  of  the  law  and  its  relation 
to  the  Gospel, 

3.  The  charge  enforced  by  Paul's  personal  expe- 
rience (i :  12-17).  He  had  been  blasphemously 
wicked,  but  grace  saved  him,  mercy  put  him  into 


THE   PASTORAL   EPISTLES  I4I 

the  ministry,  and  grace  can  save  the  worst  of 
men. 

4.  Charge  to  be  faithful  in  view  of  error  (i :  1 8-20). 

5.  Pubhc  worship  (ii). 

{a)  Duty  and  scope  of  prayer  (ii :  i,  2). 
{p)  Encouragement  so  to  pray  (ii :  3,  4). 
{c)  Medium  of  acceptable  prayer  (ii :  5-/). 
(d)  Conditions  of  acceptable  prayer  (ii :  8). 
{e)  Behaviour   of  women  in  pubHc  worship 

(ii:9-i5). 

6.  Ministers  and  officers  of  the  church  (iii :  1 3). 

(a)  Bishops — their  quaHfications  (iii :  1-7). 
{b)  Deacons   (iii:8-i3).      The   quahfications 
and  the  duties  of  these  Christian  officers 
relate   to  their  personal  character,  their 
domestic  and  social  relations. 
(J?)  Part  II  (chaps,  iii:  14-vi).     Advice  and  exhorta- 
tions to  Timothy. 

1.  Conduct  in  respect  of  the  church  and  its  head 
(iii :  14-16). 

2.  Prophecy  of  serious  departure  from  the  truth 
(iv:i-5). 

3.  Minister's  course  in  such  case  (iv  :  6-16). 

4.  His  conduct  as  to  various  classes  (v,  vi). 

{a)  Men,  old  and  young  (v :  i) ;  women,  old 
and  young,  widows  (v:2-i6);  elders 
(ministers)  (v  :  17-22) ;  personal  duties 
(v  :  23-25)  ;  servants  (vi :  i,  2). 

{b)  Denunciation  of  false  teachers  (vi :  3-10). 

(c)  Solemn  appeal  to  faithfulness,  dihgence, 
and  fidehty  (vi  :  11-21). 


142        OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

The  contents  of  this  epistle  may  be  briefly  summed 
up  in  three  chief  topics  :  First,  a  pure  Gospel ;  second, 
a  pure  worship  ;  third,  a  faithful  ministry.  It  is  a 
charge  to  a  pastor  who  is  placed  in  a  difficult  situation, 
whose  field  of  labour  has  been  invaded  by  manifold 
enemies.  What  he  is  to  do  in  such  case,  how  he  is  to 
do,  the  spirit  and  temper  he  is  to  cherish  and  display, 
his  resources  and  supplies,  his  defense  and  his  attacks 
on  the  adversaries,  his  encouragement  and  his  incen- 
tives, his  relations  to  God  and  to  men — all  these  are 
brought  out  in  this  Scripture  in  the  most  masterly 
manner,  i  Timothy,  as  indeed  2  Timothy  and  Titus 
also,  is  surprisingly  modern.  The  perils  that  threat- 
ened Timothy's  work  in  Ephesus  confront  every  pas- 
tor the  world  over.  The  characteristic  features  of  the 
first  century,  as  these  are  reflected  in  the  Pastoral  Epis- 
tles, are  reproduced  in  our  twentieth  century,  only  on 
vastly  larger  scale.  The  resemblances  between  the 
state  of  things  then  and  now  are  very  close.  The  par- 
allelism might  be  traced  to  almost  any  length.  Let 
some  of  the  correspondences  be  noted.  Timothy  is 
to  warn  against  **  fables  and  endless  genealogies " 
(myths  and  tiresome  pedigrees),  against  "  profane  and 
old  wives'  fables,"  all  which  find  their  counterpart  in 
Mormonism,  Anglo-Israelism,  and  Millennial  Dawn- 
ism.  He  is  told  that  "  some  would  depart  from  the 
faith,  giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits  and  doctrines  of 
devils,"  which  has  its  fulfillment  in  modern  necromancy 
(spiritism).  Then,  too,  the  "  questionings,"  "  dis- 
putings,"  "  oppositions  of  science  falsely  so-called,"  are 
all  encountered  in  a  godless  evolution,  in  destructive 


THE   PASTORAL   EPISTLES  1 43 

criticism,  and  in  Christian  Science.  "  The  itching 
ears,"  the  "  turning  away  the  ears  from  the  truth,"  the 
"  heaping  up  of  false  teachers  " — all  this  is  found  every- 
where and  all  about  us.  The  "  profane  and  vain  bab- 
blings," "  vain  jangling,"  are  an  exact  picture  of  the 
crowds  of  religious  pretenders  who  claim  divine  au- 
thority for  themselves  and  their  fanatical  vagaries,  who 
dare  challenge  men  with  the  proud  title  of  "  Healer," 
"  Elijah,"  "  John  the  Baptist,"  "  Mother  Revealer,"  even 
Immanuel  Himself!  The  confusion,  egotism,  and  im- 
piety perhaps  have  never  before  been  surpassed.  The 
good  sense  of  men  was  shocked  when  the  Roman  Em- 
peror was  deified,  sometimes  by  the  act  of  the  Roman 
Senate,  but  this  commonly  happened  only  when  the 
august  head  of  the  state  was  dead.  But  now  a  kind 
of  deification  is  claimed  by  living  men  and  women. 
Timothy  was  told  by  Paul  that  the  heresies  and  errors 
would  be  urged  under  the  guise  of  godliness,  but  be- 
neath the  godliness  there  would  lurk  the  hope  of  gain 
(i  Tim.  vi :  5)  ;  that  men  would  teach  what  they  ought 
not  "for  filthy  lucre's  sake"  (Tit.  i:  lo,  ii).  Greed 
and  egotism  lie  at  the  bottom  of  most  of  the  shams 
and  delusions  of  our  modern  time. 

Two  men  said  in  those  days  "  that  the  resurrection 
is  past  already  "(2  Tim.  ii :  17,  18).  Now  multitudes 
reject  the  doctrine  altogether  and  substitute  for  it  death, 
and  what  then  takes  place.  Error  then  ♦*  did  eat  as 
doth  a  gangrene " ;  it  does  no  less  now.  A  single 
false  doctrine  suffices  to  corrupt  the  faith  of  the  indi- 
vidual or  of  the  community.  It  "  eats."  "  Neverthe- 
less the  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,  having  this 


144       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

seal,  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  His :  and,  Let 
every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from 
all  iniquity  "  (2  Tim.  ii :  19).  This  strong  anchor  will 
hold.     We  do  well  to  cling  to  it. 

Analysis. 

Second  Timothy. 

L     Greeting  (i:  i,  2). 

n.     Exhortation  to  faithfulness  and  zeal  (i :  3-ii). 

1.  Thanksgiving  for  Timothy's  faith  and  gifts 
(i :  3-7).  Paul  puts  very  high  honour  on 
his  home  training  in  the  Scriptures. 

2.  Appeal  for  brave  adherence  to  the  Gospel 
message  (i:8-i8).  (a)  On  ground  of 
Christ's  work ;  {b)  on  Paul's  sufferings ;  {c) 
by  two  examples,  one  of  warning,  one  of 
encouragement. 

3.  Appeal  for  steadfastness,  endurance 
(ii :  I- 1 3).  Appeal  illustrated  by  life  of  sol- 
dier, of  athlete,  of  farmer. 

4.  Personal  and  ministerial  conduct  (ii :  14-26). 

{a)  As     to     false    and     true     teaching 

(ii:  14-19). 
{h)  As   to   mixed    character    of   visible 

church  (ii :  20,  21). 
(c)  As  to  personal  purity  (ii:2i,  22). 
(^)  As  to  opposers  (ii :  23-26). 
III.     Conduct  in  view  of  increasing  difficulties  (iii). 
I.     Grievous    times    foretold    and   described 
(iii :  1-9). 


THE    PASTORAL   EPISTLES  1 45 

2.  Paul's  example  of  fidelity  and  suffering  to 
be  followed  (iii :  10-13). 

3.  God-inspired  Scriptures  the  ground  of 
security  and  efficiency  (iii  :  14- 17). 

IV.     The  last  words  of  the  apostle  (iv). 

1.  Final  appeal  (iv :  1-18);  based  on  [a)  the 
Lord's  coming  (vs.  1--5) ;  {b)  on  Paul's  near 
execution  (vs.  6-8). 

2.  Scattering  of  friends,  longing  for  fellowship 
(iv:9-i8). 

3.  Last  farewell  (iv  :  19-22). 

This  is  the  last  epistle  Paul  wrote,  hence  a  peculiar 
interest  and  value  attaches  to  it.  When  he  wrote  it  he 
was  facing  death  at  the  hands  of  the  Roman  execu- 
tioner. He  was  charged  with  crimes  and  misde- 
meanours, though  just  what  the  specific  indictment  was 
is  conjectural.  It  may  have  been  sedition,  or  com- 
pHcity  in  the  burning  of  Rome,  or  treason  against  the 
State.  We  may  be  sure  that,  recognized  as  a  leader 
of  the  Christians,  he  would  have  to  plead  to  serious 
charges  indeed,  perhaps  that  of  teaching  the  supreme 
Kingship  of  Jesus  (cf.  Acts  xvii  :  7).  His  trial  appears 
to  have  had  two  stages,  a  preliminary  hearing,  and  a 
final  one  at  which  sentence  was  pronounced.  "  At  my 
first  defense  no  man  stood  with  me,  but  all  forsook 
me  "  (iv  :  16).  But  he  had  just  written,  "  Only  Luke  is 
with  me."  Did  Luke  also  forsake  him  ?  We  cannot 
believe  it.  It  is  likely  Luke  was  not  present  when  the 
preliminary  examination  took  place,  that  he  arrived 
between  that  and  the  writing  of  this  letter.  The  ac- 
cused had   no  advocate,  nor  defender,  nor  friend  at 


146       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

court.  Yes,  but  he  had— the  invisible,  almighty  Son 
of  God,  who  stood  by  him.  Accusers  he  had  in 
plenty,  no  doubt;  one  particularly,  Alexander  the 
coppersmith,  more  virulent  and  hostile  than  any  other. 
Who  he  was  is  unknown.  He  may  have  been  the 
Alexander  whom  the  Jews  put  forward  to  address  the 
mob  at  Ephesus,  or  the  Alexander  the  heretic  of  i  Tim. 
i :  20.  It  is  likely  the  accuser  was  at  Rome,  that  he 
was  an  unscrupulous  and  powerful  adversary,  and  hence 
Paul  warned  Timothy  to  beware  of  him  on  his  arrival 
at  the  capital  (iv  :  15). 

The  result  of  the  first  examination  was  favourable, 
he  was  '•  delivered  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion " 
(iv  :  17).  Nevertheless,  he  felt  sure  that  the  final  issue 
would  be  his  death  (iv:  6-8).  He  seems,  however,  to 
have  anticipated  some  delay  in  the  final  disposition  of 
his  case,  and  so  he  urges  Timothy  to  come  to  him 
with  all  speed,  and  to  bring  with  him  the  cloak  he  left 
at  Troas,  and  the  parchments.  He  occupied  a  gloomy, 
damp  prison,  probably  the  "  Well  Dungeon,"  or  the 
wretched  Mamartine,  as  tradition  relates ;  and  he 
would  need  heavier  clothing.^     But  there  was  probably 

^  William  Tindale  wrote  from  his  prison  at  Vilvorde,  Holland  ( 1536), 
the  following  words  which  are  a  pathetic  reminder  of  Paul's : — "  Your 
lordship  .  .  ,  will  request  the  procureur  to  be  kind  enough  to 
send  me  from  my  goods,  which  he  has  in  possession,  a  warmer  cap, 
for  I  suffer  extremely  from  cold  in  the  head,  being  afflicted  with  a 
perpetual  catarrh,  which  is  considerably  increased  in  the  cell.  A 
warmer  coat  also,  for  that  which  I  have  is  very  thin ;  also  a  piece  of 
cloth  to  patch  my  leggings  ;  my  shirts  are  also  worn  out.  He  has  also 
a  woollen  shirt  of  mine,  if  he  will  be  kind  enough  to  send  it.  .  .  . 
I  wish  also  his  permission  to  have  a  candle  in  the  evening,  for  it  is 


THE    PASTORAL   EPISTLES  147 

little  delay.  He  received  his  sentence,  death  by  the 
Hctor's  axe,  or  by  the  sword ;  and  he  went  to  his 
heavenly  rest  probably  before  his  friend  and  fellow- 
worker  reached  him. 

Life  has  its  rich  compensations.  If  the  child  of 
God  loses  in  one  direction,  he  gains  in  another.  "  All 
they  which  are  in  Asia  be  turned  away  from  me,"  he 
writes,  not  in  bitterness  but  in  sorrow.  Two  men  had 
distinguished  themselves  by  their  desertion,  Phygellus 
and  Hermogenes.  They  were  leaders  in  the  cowardly 
act,  and  their  unbrotherly  and  unsaintly  conduct  found 
imitators.  Men  who  should  have  stood  by  him  in  this 
his  supreme  hour  of  need,  shunned  him,  either 
ashamed  of  his  chain  or  afraid  lest  suspicion  might 
fall  on  them.  There  was  one  very  illustrious  excep- 
tion, Onesiphorus.  His  name  means  "  help-bringer." 
Right  nobly  did  he  show  his  sympathy  and  seek  to 
help,  for  he  "  diligently  sought  me  out  and  found  me." 
How  significant  and  beautiful  are  the  words,  "  and 
found  me."  It  was  not  easy ;  the  prisons  no  doubt 
were  crowded  with  the  proscribed  Christians ;  access 
was  difficult,  and  he  ran  great  personal  risk  who 
sought  to  find  so  notable  a  prisoner  as  Paul  the 
apostle.  But  Onesiphorus  did  not  quail.  He  nobly 
proved  his  right  to  bear  the  name  of  Help-bearer. 

wearisome  to  sit  alone  in  the  dark.  But  above  all,  I  entreat  and  be- 
seech your  clemency  to  be  urgent  with  the  procureur,  that  he  may 
kindly  permit  me  to  have  my  Hebrew  Bible,  Hebrew  Grammar,  and 
Hebrew  Dictionary,  that  I  may  spend  my  time  with  that  study.  And 
in  return,  may  you  obtain  your  dearest  wish,  provided  always  that  it 
be  consistent  with  the  salvation  of  your  soul"  (Condit,  «•  Hist.  Eng. 
Bible,"  pp.  136-7). 


148        OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

Paul  gratefully  remembers  his  loving  ministry,  and 
prays  for  his  "  house,"  prays  that  he  may  find  mercy 
of  the  Lord  in  that  day  (i :  16-18).  He  will  have  the 
blessing  promised  by  our  Lord  in  the  memorable  say- 
ing, *'  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  visited  me." 

One  of  the  eccentricities  of  exegesis  is  connected 
with  this  incident.  As  "the  house"  and  "house- 
hold" (iv  :  19)  only  are  mentioned  it  is  inferred  that 
Onesiphorus  was  dead  at  the  time,  and  as  Paul  prays 
for  him,  the  epistle  "  probably  bears  witness  to  the 
practice  of  prayer  to  God  for  mercy  to  the  dead."  It 
is  not  surprising  that  this  interpretation  should  prevail 
with  Roman  Catholics — one  expects  to  find  this  and 
much  more  of  the  same  sort — but  it  is  a  surprise  when 
it  is  encountered  in  reputable  writers,  as  Bishop 
Hervey  and  Dean  Alford.  The  words  above  quoted 
are  from  the  article  on  2  Tim.  by  Dr.  Lock  of  Oxford 
in  Hastings'  Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  which  will  not 
surprise  those  who  are  familiar  with  that  work.  The 
supposition  is  entirely  gratuitous.  Onesiphorus  may 
have  been  absent  from  Ephesus  when  Paul  wrote,  as 
he  had  been  shortly  before  when  he  had  visited  the 
apostle.  He  may  have  been  on  the  homeward  journey 
which  meant  many  days  of  travel.  It  is  admitted  on 
all  hands  that  the  apostle's  last  imprisonment  was 
very  brief,  and  if  this  friend  had  died  at  his  home  in 
Ephesus  or  elsewhere,  it  is  not  likely  that  Paul  should 
have  heard  of  it,  specially  when  he  says  that  those  in 
Asia  had  turned  away  from  him,  thus  cutting  off  all 
communication.  If  praying  for  the  dead  is  to  be 
Scripturally  defended  its   advocates  must  seek  other 


THE    PASTORAL   EPISTLES  149 

texts  than  this.  That  the  practice  has  no  countenance 
either  in  the  Old  or  the  New  Testament  is  certain. 
Yet  on  this  practice,  so  utterly  foreign  and  repugnant 
to  the  whole  tenor  and  analogy  of  the  Bible,  there 
rests  the  doctrine  of  Purgatory  with  all  its  abuses, 
deceptions  and  fraudulent  revenues,  on  account  of 
which  the  Italians  have  nicknamed  the  Romish  Church, 
La  Santa  Bottega — the  Holy  Shop. 

Two  transcendent  duties  are  solemnly  pressed  upon 
Timothy  by  the  apostle.  The  first  is,  supreme  devo- 
tion to  the  Lord's  service.  This  is  urged  with  re- 
iterated insistence  and  emphasis.  '•  Wherefore  I  put 
thee  in  remembrance  that  thou  stir  up  the  gift  of  God, 
which  is  in  thee  by  the  putting  on  of  my  hands " 
(i :  6).  It  is  the  ministerial  gift  that  is  meant.  The 
figure  is  a  vivid  one :  Stir  thy  gift  into  a  flame ; 
kindle  the  glowing  coals  lest  they  smoulder  out. 
One's  zeal  is  always  in  danger  of  languishing,  one's 
ardour  ever  runs  the  risk  of  cooling,  even  of  dying. 
The  fire  needs  constant  replenishing.  "  Preach  the 
word;  be  instant  (apply  thyself)  in  season,  out  of 
season  ;  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort  with  all  long-suffering 
and  doctrine  "  (iv  :  1-5).  Here  is  the  briefest  possible 
treatise  on  Homiletics  ;  here  is  in  mice  the  sum  and 
substance  of  genuine  preaching.  Here  is  the  answer 
to  the  old  homiletical  questions,  "  What  ?  "  "  When  ?  " 
"  How  ?  "  "  Why  ?  "  The  Word:  God's  message  in  all 
its  majestic  comprehensiveness  and  massiveness.  Woe 
to  the  preacher  who  preaches  his  own  message,  not 
God's !  In  season,  out  of  season  :  take  opportunity, 
make  opportunity  !     Reprove,  rebuke,  exhort :  convict 


150       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

of  sin,  expose  sin,  persuade  against  sin.  Do  all  this 
with  meekness,  patience,  love,  teaching.  Do  it,  and 
weary  not  in  doing  it,  for  men  will  go  back  from  the 
truth,  will  turn  away  their  ears,  will  seek  the  gratifica- 
tion of  their  wishes  and  their  lusts.  Three  impressive 
motives  are  urged  in  support  of  this  apostolic  charge  : 
Christ's  appearing  and  kingdom,  when  all  accounts 
must  be  finally  settled;  declension  from  the  sound 
doctrine ;  Paul's  approaching  martyrdom.  Faithfully, 
heroically,  untiringly,  and  with  the  profound  sense  of 
personal  responsibility,  the  preacher  is  to  fill  up  and 
fill  out  his  ministry,  round  it  and  complete  it,  as  the 
messenger  of  God,  the  servant  of  Jesus  Christ.  The 
words,  "  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth"  (ii :  15), 
are  very  significant.  The  figure  may  be  that  of  the 
sacrificial  division  of  victims  for  the  altar,  or  the  dis- 
tribution of  bread,  or,  better,  farmers  who  cut  their 
furrows  straight  (Theodoret).  Great  is  the  power  in 
such  right  division  of  the  word  of  truth — cutting 
straight,  wisely  distributing. 

The  second  duty  is.  Guard  the  deposit !  "  That 
good  thing  which  was  committed  unto  thee,  keep  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  which  dwelleth  in  us  "  (i :  14 ;  cf.  i 
Tim.  vi :  20).  What  is  the  deposit?  Broadly,  it  may 
be  answered,  the  Faith,  that  glorious  system  of  doc- 
trine which  is  revealed  to  men  by  the  blessed  Lord 
Himself  through  His  Spirit,  and  which  is  designed  to 
illuminate,  sanctify  and  save.  It  is  the  message  of  the 
Gospel  contained  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth,  as  2  Tim. 
iii:  14-17  clearly  denotes.  This  precious  body  of 
truth  is   in   perpetual  danger.     It  has  foes,  powerful 


THE    PASTORAL   EPISTLES  15 1 

and  tireless.  Paul's  appeal  is,  Guard  it  from  spiritual 
thieves,  from  corrupters  and  perverters.  The  apostle 
reminds  Timothy  that  from  a  child  he  had  known  the 
holy  Scriptures,  "  which  are  able  to  make  thee  wise 
unto  salvation  through  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 
The  words  "  holy  Scriptures,"  point  to  a  written  reve- 
lation :  "  sacred  writings  "  is  the  rendering  of  both 
the  British  and  American  revisions.  In  John  v :  47 
Jesus  uses  the  term  writings  to  describe  the  revelation 
given  through  Moses,  and  both  there  and  here  in 
Timothy  the  use  of  the  word  appears  to  mark  the 
specific  form  and  the  general  scope  of  the  record. 
The  Old  Testament  is  here  in  view,  and  respecting  it 
Paul  says  that  it  is  sacred,  and  that  it  is  able  to  make 
wise  unto  salvation  through  faith  in  Christ  to  whom  it 
bears  explicit  witness.  Hence  our  Lord  said  to  the 
Jews,  "  Ye  search  the  Scriptures,  for  in  them  ye  think 
ye  have  eternal  life,  and  they  are  they  which  testify  of 
Me  "  (John  v :  39).  So,  too,  after  His  resurrection  He, 
"  beginning  at  Moses  and  all  the  prophets  expounded 
unto  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things  concerning 
Himself"  (Luke  xxiv  :  27,  44).  The  Scriptures  have 
this  wonderful  capacity  of  making  wise  unto  salvation 
because  they  reveal  Christ,  lead  to  Him,  and  bring  the 
believing  soul  to  trust  in  Him.  The  reason  which 
Paul  assigns  for  this  amazing  capacity  is  this :  "  All 
Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profita- 
ble for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction  in  righteous- 
ness ;  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly 
furnished  unto  all  good  works  (2  Tim.  iii  :  16,  17). 
Fifty-one  times  the  word  translated  scripture  in  this 


152        OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

great  passage  is  found  in  the  New  Testament  and  in 
every  instance  it  denotes  the  Old  Testament  Canon, 
save  perhaps  in  one,  viz.,  2  Peter  iii :  16.  In  this  last 
text  Peter  recognizes  Paul's  epistles  as  being  Scripture, 
and  ranks  them  with  the  acknowledged  books  of  the 
Old  Testament.  The  term  carries  with  it  exactly  the 
same  definite  meaning  as  does  our  English  Scripture. 
With  the  sacred  writers  it  is  a  technical  term,  appro- 
priated to  designate  the  writings  which  were  believed 
to  be  from  God.  The  Revision  changes  the  reading 
of  King  James  :  "  Every  Scripture  inspired  of  God  is 
also  profitable  for  teaching,"  etc.  As  the  words  "  all 
Scripture  "  are  without  the  article  the  adjective  is  taken 
in  a  distributive  sense,  and  translated  every.  But  the 
revisers  violate  their  own  rule  in  many  cases,  as,  e.  g., 
Col.  i  :  9-11  where  the  adjective  all  occurs  five  times 
with  nouns  that  have  not  the  article,  and  in  four  of 
them  the  revision  has  "  all,"  in  one  alone  every.  "  All 
Scripture  "  means  every  portion  of  the  "  sacred  writ- 
ings "  in  which  Timothy  had  been  instructed,  and 
hence  must  needs  signify  the  whole  of  Scripture,  so 
that  the  old  version  expresses  Paul's  thought  as  exactly 
as  does  the  revision,  if  not  even  more  exactly. 

But  this  is  unimportant.  More  serious  is  the  trans- 
ference of  the  predicate  ("  is  given  by  inspiration  of 
God  "),  and  joining  it  with  the  subject,  as  the  revisers 
have  done.  For,  the  statement  of  the  apostle  is  left 
indefinite  and  ambiguous.  We  are  not  altogether  cer- 
tain whether  or  not  there  may  be  Scripture  not  in- 
spired of  God,  or  whether  only  such  inspired  Scripture 
is  profitable.     But  is  there  not  many  a  writing  profit- 


THE    PASTORAL   EPISTLES  153 

able  for  doctrine  (teaching)  which  is  not  commonly 
held  to  be  inspired  ?  Why  the  two  words,  "  inspired 
of  God  "  and  '•  profitable,"  which  are  united  and  are 
made  predicates  in  the  old  version,  are  separated  in 
the  new,  the  first  being  united  with  the  subject  while 
the  second  is  left  as  the  predicate,  and  the  conjunction 
and  turned  into  alsOy  does  not  appear,  nor  is  any  ade- 
quate reason  given  for  such  procedure.  In  precisely 
similar  grammatical  constructions  the  revisers  have 
not  ventured  to  follow  their  own  precedent.  Heb.  iv  : 
1 3  is  a  case  in  point :  "  But  all  things  are  naked  and 
open  to  the  eyes  of  him  with  whom  we  have  to  do." 
Here  is  the  subject,  ''  all  things,"  and  two  predicates, 
"  naked  and  open."  Moreover,  the  verb  is  wanting  as 
in  2  Tim.  iii :  i6.  To  be  consistent  the  revisers  should 
have  rendered ;  "  all  things  naked  are  also  open,"  etc. 
But  the  absurdity  is  so  pronounced  they  did  not  dare 
to  do  so,  as  Tregelles  pointed  out  many  years  ago. 
Another  instance  parallel  with  this  is  i  Tim.  iv :  4, 
where  we  should  translate,  if  the  example  of  the  revis- 
ers is  to  be  followed,  thus :  "■  Every  good  creature  of 
God  is  also  nothing  to  be  rejected."  In  both  these  in- 
stances the  revision  follows  almost  exactly  the  old  ver- 
sion, because  they  did  not  dare  render  them  as  they 
have  done  that  of  2  Tim.  iii  :  16.  Why  was  the 
change  made  in  this  latter  case?  One  declines  to 
conjecture,  but  Tregelles  states  that  Dr.  Pye  Smith  de- 
fended the  reading  adopted  by  the  revision  because  he 
thus  avoided  "  the  difficulty  which  this  text  presented 
to  his  theory  maintained  during  one  part  of  his  life  in 
opposition  to  the  authority  of  the  book  of  Canticles." 


154       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

Did  some  similar  "  theory "  influence  the  revisers  in 
their  change  in  2  Tim.  iii:  i6?  It  may  be  proper  to 
recall  that  one  of  the  English  company  of  revisers,  Dr. 
Vance  Smith,  was  a  very  pronounced  Unitarian,  and 
that  he  has  left  it  on  record  that  "  it  is  contrary  to  fact 
that  the  doctrines  of  popular  Theology  remain  unaf- 
fected, untouched  by  the  results  of  the  Revision " 
(quoted  from  Burgon's  Revision  Revised,  p.  205). 

This  new  translation  of  2  Tim.  iii :  16  is  not  only 
uncertain  and  ambiguous.  It  is  weak,  unlike  Paul's 
clear  and  ringing  statements  of  fundamental  truth.  Is 
it  at  all  probable  that  the  apostle  wrote  such  a  mere 
truism  as  this  ? — "  every  Scripture  inspired  of  God  is 
also  profitable  "  ?  Need  any  be  told,  need  any  apostle 
tell  us,  that  every  inspired  Scripture  is  also  useful  ? 
How  much  more  pointed  and  powerful  is  the  old  ren- 
dering : — "  All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of 
God  "  ;  and  since  it  is  so,  "  it  is  profitable  for  doctrine, 
for  reproof,"  etc.  All  Scripture  and  every  part  of 
Scripture  is  useful  because  God-inspired,  not  God-in- 
spired because  useful.  This  is  the  deep  significance  of 
the  passage,  and  this,  it  seems  to  us,  is  what  Paul  says. 

Once  again  it  should  be  remarked  that  nowhere  else 
in  the  New  Testament  have  the  revisers  separated  two 
adjectives  that  are  joined  by  the  copulative  and,  and 
tied  one  to  the  subject  and  left  the  other  as  a  predi- 
cate. This  they  have  done  in  one  solitary  case  (2  Tim. 
iii:  16).  They  have  united  the  single  Greek  word, 
God-inspired,  with  every  Scripture,  and  left  the  other 
term,  profitable,  to  do  service  as  a  predicate  alone. 
Let  one  be  heard  here  who  has  the  right  to  speak  on 


THE   PASTORAL   EPISTLES  155 

the  point  (Middleton)  :  •*  I  do  not  recollect  any  pas- 
sage in  the  New  Testament  in  which  two  adjectives, 
apparently  connected  by  the  copulative,  were  intended 
by  the  writer  to  be  so  unnaturally  disjoined.  He  who 
can  produce  such  an  instance,  will  do  much  towards 
establishing  the  plausibility  of  a  translation,  which 
otherwise  must  appear,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  to  be 
forced  and  improbable." 

The  apostle  ascribes  a  divine  source  to  the  whole 
Scripture,  and  to  every  part  of  it.  He  describes  it  as 
"  given  by  inspiration  of  God  " — a  single  word  in  the 
original  and  found  nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. It  is  difficult  to  turn  it  into  English  by  one 
term ;  indeed,  it  seems  impossible  to  do  so,  hence  five 
words  are  used  for  it  in  the  old  version,  three  in  the 
new.  It  has  been  rendered  "  God-breathed,"  but  this, 
suggestive  as  it  is,  does  not  altogether  express  its 
meaning.  "  Filled  with  the  breath  of  God  "  is  its  com- 
prehensive meaning  (Cremer  sub  voce).  Hence  Scrip- 
ture is  called  "  living  oracles  "  (Acts  vii :  38).  Peter 
describes  it  thus :  "  For  no  prophecy  ever  came  by 
the  will  of  man :  but  men  spake  from  God,  being 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost "  (2  Pet.  i :  21,  r.  v.).  Thus 
also  an  ancient  doctor  of  the  church  exhorted  :  "  Look 
carefully  into  the  Scriptures  which  are  the  true  utter- 
ances of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Observe  that  nothing  of  an 
unjust  or  counterfeit  character  is  written  in  them" 
(Clement  of  Rome,  c.  a.  d.  96,  Ep.  Cor.  c.  45).  No 
wonder  Paul  said  it  is  profitable,  is  able  to  save,  and 
it  can  supply  the  man  of  God  with  all  that  his  indi- 
vidual well-being  and  his  ministry  require. 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  TITUS 

The  Epistle  to  Titus  dates  at  about  the  same  time  as 
the  first  to  Timothy.  Its  general  tone  clearly  indicates 
that  when  written  Paul  was  a  free  man  and  master  of 
his  own  movements.  Where  written  is  uncertain, 
probably  in  Macedonia. 

Titus'  field  of  labour  was  a  difficult  one.  The  Cre- 
tans were  a  rude,  half-civilized  people.  The  terms  in 
which  the  apostle  speaks  of  them  are  severe  but  not 
unjust.  Quoting  from  one  of  "  their  own  prophets," 
Epimenides,  he  calls  them  incessant  liars,  evil  beasts, 
slow  bellies  (i:  12).  Calvin's  rendering  is,  "Cretans 
are  always  liars,  are  wild  beasts,  do-nothing  gluttons." 
On  their  avarice  Dean  Alford  cites  Livy,  Plutarch,  and 
Polybius.  On  their  ferocity  and  fraud  there  is  the  Hke 
testimony.  As  to  their  mendacity  it  is  enough  to  say 
that  the  term  cretaiiize  meant  to  lie.  A  hard  field 
certainly,  but  one  in  which  the  Gospel  had  already 
found  entrance,  in  which  it  was  making  conquest,  and 
in  which  faithful  churches  were  already  planted.  These 
Titus  was  to  organize  and  train ;  other  churches  were 
to  be  established,  and  error  and  errorists  were  to  be 
confuted  and  repelled. 

Analysis. 

1.  Greeting  (i :  1-4). 

2.  Titus'  mission  in  Crete  (i :  5,  6). 

156 


THE    EPISTLE    TO    TITUS  15/ 

3.  Duties  and  qualifications  of  bishops  (i :  7-I1). 

4.  Character  of  Cretans  (i :  12-16). 

5.  Rules  of  behaviour  for  various  classes  (ii :  1-15). 

(a)  Old  and  young  (ii :  1-6). 
(d)  Ministers  (ii :  7,  8). 

(c)  Servants  (9,  10). 

(d)  Christians,  holy  living  and  eager  vi^atching 
(ii:  11-15). 

6.  Sundry  commands  (iii :  1-8). 

(a)  Obedience  to  rulers  (iii :  1,2). 
(d)  What  we  were  (iii :  3). 

(c)  What  we  are  through  grace  (iii :  4-7). 

(d)  Fidelity  enjoined  (iii  :  8). 

7.  Directions  and  instructions  to  Titus  (iii:  9-15). 

(a)  Behaviour    towards    errors    and   heretics 

(iii:9-ii). 
(d)  Instructions  to  Titus  as  to  Paul,  Zenas, 

ApoUos  (iii :  12,  13). 
{c)  Faithful  service  enjoined  (iii :  14). 
(d)  Salutations  (iii:  15). 

Chapter  ii :  11-14  proves  that  when  Paul  was  near- 
ing  the  close  of  his  eventful  Hfe  the  Blessed  Hope  ani- 
mated him  as  it  did  when  he  wrote  to  the  saints  of 
Thessalonica.  Amid  all  his  vicissitudes,  in  the  face  of 
exigencies  and  perils,  with  opposition  and  hostility 
against  the  infant  Church  and  its  preachers  deepening 
and  intensifying  on  every  side,  the  hope  of  the  speedy 
coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  cheered  and  upheld 
him  and  all  apostolic  believers.     Paul  never  thought 


158        OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

of  changing  his  mind,  of  correcting  his  attitude  to- 
wards this  supreme  event,  this  consummation  of  all 
Christian  hope,  Christ's  return.  Note  how  compre- 
hensive this  expression  of  Christian  position  is :  We 
look  back  on  the  salvation  grace  has  brought  us ;  we 
look  round  on  present  duty  ;  we  look  forward  to  the 
coming  glory.  Grace  first  brings  salvation ;  it  does 
not  send  it,  it  brings  it  personally  by  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Then  grace  teaches,  (i)  to  deny  ungodHness  and 
worldly  lusts.  (2)  It  bids  us  live  soberly,  with  due 
self-control,  having  the  reins  of  our  natures  well  in 
hand  and  ruled  by  a  strong  hand ;  to  live  uprightly  as 
regards  those  around  us  ;  and  godly  as  to  the  glorious 
future  awaiting  us.  There  is  the  kingdom  within,  the 
kingdom  around,  the  kingdom  to  come.  The  children 
and  heirs  of  such  indescribable  glories  should  live  as 
God's  princes,  as  a  heavenly  aristocracy  should.  The 
mighty  motive  to  such  saintly  Hving  is,  the  Blessed 
Hope,  the  glorious  appearing  of  our  great  God  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

Some  further  distinctive  features  of  the  Pastoral 
Epistles  may  be  mentioned. 

I.  Church  organization. — In  Romans  and  in  i  Co- 
rinthians much  is  said  of  the  gifts,  both  ordinary  and 
extraordinary,  which  the  primitive  Church  so  richly 
enjoyed.  In  the  Pastoral  Letters  the  extraordinary 
gifts  are  in  abeyance  ;  organization  is  more  prominent. 
The  miraculous  gifts  are  disappearing  to  some  extent. 
Those  common  to  believers  generally,  those  that  are 
to  remain  so  long  as  the  Church  remains,  are  insisted 
on  with  marked  emphasis.     Faith,  hope,  love,  gifts  of 


THE    EPISTLE    TO    TITUS  159 

teaching  and  of  ruling,  fitness  for  responsible  posi- 
tions, faithfulness,  sobriety,  good  judgment  and  stead- 
fastness— these  and  the  like  Christian  graces  hold  the 
same  place  in  the  instructions  and  exhortations  of 
these  epistles  as  in  Paul's  earlier  writings. 

(i)  Bishops  (i  Tim.  iii :  1-7 ;  Tit.  i :  5-9). — In  these 
passages  we  have  a  lengthy  account  of  the  duties  and 
qualifications  of  this  office.  The  term  •'  bishop  "  de- 
notes overseer,  and  is  so  translated  in  the  margin  of  the 
Revision.  It  indicates  one  who  has  the  oversight  of  a 
company  of  Christians,  who  is  responsible  for  the  faith 
and  order  thereof,  who  is  himself  to  be  an  example 
and  pattern  for  those  committed  to  his  care.  The 
bishop  is  mentioned  in  Acts  xx :  28;  Phil,  i  :  i.  In 
the  former  passage  he  has  oversight  of  the  flock  of 
God,  he  has  his  appointment,  at  least  recognition,  by 
the  Holy  Spirit.  His  duties  and  fitness  for  the  office 
are  carefully  stated,  {a)  We  have  his  positive  qualifi- 
cations (I  Tim.  iii :  i,  2).  He  must  be  blameless,  /.  e.^ 
irreproachable  so  far  as  his  personal  character  is  con- 
cerned. He  must  be  the  husband  of  one  wife, — a  con- 
troverted statement.  We  may  dismiss  the  view  that 
he  must  be  a  married  man,  as  Russian  ecclesiastics  and 
Mormons  hold.  The  numeral  one  forbids  this  inter- 
pretation. So  also  the  opinion  of  many  that  he  is 
forbidden  to  contract  a  second  marriage.  What 
appears  to  be  the  true  meaning  is,  he  must  not  be  a 
bigamist,  or  polygamist,  whether  as  having  more  than 
a  wife  living  with  him,  or  a  divorced  wife  still  living. 
The  notorious  looseness  of  practice  both  among  Jews 
and  heathen  of  the  time  made  such  a  rule  imperative. 


l60       OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

Scripture  does  not  countenance  ''  clerical  celibacy." 
(d)  The  negative  qualifications  (v.  3).  The  things  here 
mentioned  strike  one  as  strange  in  relation  to  a 
Christian  minister  but  we  should  remember  that  these 
were  men  but  lately  brought  out  of  paganism  where 
such  vices  were  common  enough  and  where  no  strong 
public  opinion  frowned  upon  them,  as  with  us.  [c)  His 
home  Hfe  (vs.  4,  5).  (d)  His  relation  to  the  office  itself 
and  the  public  (vs.  6,  7).  One  qualification  is  very 
noticeable,  "  apt  to  teach."  It  is  expanded  in  Tit.  i :  9, 
thus :  "  Holding  to  the  faithful  word  which  is  accord- 
ing to  the  teaching,  that  he  may  be  able  both  to  exhort 
in  the  sound  doctrine,  and  to  convict  the  gainsayers  " 

(R.  v.). 

(2)  Elders  (Tit.  i :  5  ;  cf.  Acts  xiv :  23  ;  xv  :  6,  22  ; 
I  Tim.  v:  17,  19). — In  i  Tim.  v :  17,  there  are  not 
two  classes  of  elders,  but  one  class.  They  are  all 
rulers.  Such  of  them  as  rule  well  are  worthy  of  abun- 
dant honour,  particularly  those  who  labour  in  word 
and  doctrine.  These  are  not  a  distinct  class,  but  a 
select  portion  of  the  same  class.  It  appears  certain 
that  in  the  apostolic  churches  each  congregation  had 
a  pluraHty  of  elders,  that  such  body  of  elders  exercised 
government  in  the  congregation,  and  that  among  the 
elders  there  were  those  who  laboured  in  word  and 
doctrine,  t.  e.^  they  were  ministers  of  the  Gospel. 

The  question  here  confronts  us,  Are  two  offices,  dis- 
tinct and  separate,  meant  by  the  words  bishop  and  elder? 
The  answer  must  be  in  the  negative.  They  are 
but  two  names  for  one  office.  This  is  evident,  first, 
from  the  fact  that  the  terms  are  interchangeable.     In 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    TITUS  l6l 

Acts  xx:  17  Paul  called  to  him  "the  elders  of  the 
church  " ;  but  in  verse  28  of  the  same  chapter  these 
elders  are  called  bishops.  In  Tit.  i :  5  we  read  of 
elders ;  but  in  verse  7,  these  same  elders  are  bishops. 
Obviously,  they  are  convertible  terms.  Second,  the 
qualifications  and  duties  for  the  one  office  are  identical 
with  those  of  the  other.  In  fact,  there  is  no  distinc- 
tion made  between  them  whatever.  If  one  set  of 
duties  belonged  to  the  bishop,  another  to  the  elder,  or 
if  we  had  two  differing  descriptions  of  these  officers 
and  of  their  functions,  the  question  would  be  settled. 
But  nothing  of  the  sort  appears  in  the  whole  New 
Testament.  But,  third,  elders  and  bishops  are  distin- 
guished from  deacons.  Paul  mentions  bishops  and 
deacons  in  Phil,  i :  i.  He  clearly  distinguishes  between 
bishops  and  deacons  in  i  Tim.  iii.  But  he  never  does 
between  bishops  and  elders.  We  may  conclude,  there- 
fore, that  a  bishop  was  an  elder,  and  an  elder  was  a 
bishop.  The  elder  did  not  need  to  be  ordained  to  be- 
come a  bishop  ;  he  was  a  bishop  de  facto.  Further- 
more, there  were  several  elders  or  bishops  in  connection 
with  one  church,  e.  g.,  Ephesus,  Philippi,  and  in  Crete 
(Tit.  i :  5).  It  is  probable  that  in  each  local  church 
one  of  the  elders  acted  as  president  {primus  inter  pares). 
And  it  is  quite  possible  that  it  is  to  this  chief  officer 
of  the  body  of  elders  "  the  angel  "  of  Rev.  ii :  i  refers. 
As  to  the  appointment  of  bishops  (or  elders)  over 
churches,  it  must  suffice  here  to  say  that  Titus  was 
directed  by  Paul  to  "  appoint  "  them  in  every  city 
(Tit.  i :  5).  It  is  inferred  from  i  Tim.  v :  22  that 
Timothy  was  authorized  to  do  the  same  in  Ephesus. 


1 62       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

But  this  does  not  prove  that  the  Christian  congregation 
had  no  voice  in  their  selection.  The  analogous  case 
of  the  choice  of  the  seven  in  Acts  vi  indicates  that  the 
right  of  the  Christian  people  was  not  ignored.  The 
seven  were  chosen  by  the  body  of  believers,  and  they 
were  then  **  set  before  the  apostles  :  and  when  they 
had  prayed,  they  laid  their  hands  on  them  "  (Acts  vi :  6). 
It  is  a  matter  of  history  that  in  the  second  century,  and 
even  later,  the  people  had  a  voice  in  the  selection  of 
their  bishops. 

Some  legitimate  inferences  may  be  drawn  from 
these  facts,  (i)  The  bishop  was  purely  a  congrega- 
tional officer,  not  at  all  a  diocesan,  as  he  is  now  known. 
(2)  The  bishop  of  the  primitive  church  made  no  claim 
to  apostolical  successioji.  Dr.  James  Orr  affirms  that 
there  is  no  hint  of  such  a  thing  even  in  the  letters  of 
Ignatius  (a.  d.  iio).  "  Had  the  idea  existed,  so  keen 
a  defender  of  episcopacy  could  not  have  passed  it 
over."  (3)  He  had  no  sacerdotal  fimctions.  In  all 
the  accounts  of  bishops  and  elders  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment there  is  not  so  much  as  the  shadow  of  a  hint  of 
such  a  thing.  (4)  The  government  of  the  churches 
was  entrusted  to  a  body  of  presbyters,  who  were  in- 
differently named  elders  and  bishops.  These  officers 
exercised  their  functions  in  the  local  church,  not  at  all 
in  a  province  or  diocese. 

(3)  Deacons  (i  Tim.  iii :  8-10,  12,  13). — The  first 
mention  of  deacons  is  in  Phil,  i  :  i.  The  seven  of 
Acts  vi  are  not  named  deacons,  nor  do  the  functions 
of  at  least  two  of  them,  viz.,  Stephen  and  Philip, 
correspond   to   the  office  of  deacon.     Stephen  was  a 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   TITUS  1 63 

preacher  of  great  power,  and  Philip  was  an  evangelist 
(Acts  viii ;  xxi :  8).  It  is  possible  that  the  seven 
formed  the  basis  for  the  appointment  of  deacons  in 
the  churches,  but  no  definite  information  is  given  us 
touching  the  matter.  From  the  description  of  his 
duties  in  Timothy,  the  deacon  had  something  more  to 
do  than  to  attend  to  the  finances  and  other  business 
features  of  the  people.  That  women  had  some  part  in 
the  management  of  the  church  seems  evident  from  the 
fact  that  Phoebe  was  a  deaconess  of  the  church  of 
Cenchrea  (Rom.  xvi :  i).  Besides,  there  is  significance 
in  the  way  Paul  mentions  women  in  the  heart  of  his 
instructions  as  to  deacons  (i  Tim.  iii :  11).  It  appears 
certain  that  those  women  had  some  sort  of  functions 
analogous  to  those  of  deacons,  else  he  would  not  have 
put  them  into  his  teaching  as  he  has  done. 

From  all  this  it  appears  clear  that  in  the  apostolic 
church  there  were  but  two  classes  of  ministers,  presby- 
ters (elders  and  bishops),  and  deacons,  and  not  three  as 
later  prevailed  in  churches  of  Episcopal  polity.  More- 
over, we  see  from  the  Pastoral  Epistles  that,  advanced 
as  organization  in  the  churches  was,  there  is  in  that 
fact  no  ground  for  the  argument  which  would  relegate 
them  to  a  post-apostolic  age.  In  fact,  the  entire 
church  order  brought  out  in  these  letters  is  found  in 
the  Acts  and  Paul's  earlier  epistles.  Accordingly,  the 
attempt  to  prove  their  non-PauHne  authorship  on  this 
score  is  a  failure. 

II.  Widows  (i  Tim.  v:  3,  4,  5,  9,  16). — The  teach- 
ing as  to  this  class  of  Christians  is  explicit  and  dis- 
criminating.    From   the   beginning  of  the  Christian 


164       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

church  widows  received  the  most  charitable  attention 
(Acts  vi).  The  disinterested  and  self-sacrificing  labours 
of  the  saintly  Dorcas  seem  to  have  been  confined 
mainly  to  the  widows  of  Joppa  (Acts  ix  :  36-43).  In 
the  Pastoral  Letters  advance  is  noticeable  in  the  treat- 
ment of  widows.  The  church  had  grown  wonder- 
fully in  the  period  between  a.  d.  35  and  65.  The 
numbers  of  dependent  persons,  and  particularly  of 
widows,  must  at  the  latter  date  have  been  immensely 
larger  than  at  the  earlier.  Regulations  as  to  their 
maintenance  were  a  necessity.  Accordingly,  the 
apostle  carefully  prescribes  the  rules  to  be  observed  in 
their  treatment.  A  distinction  is  to  be  made  between 
the  younger  and  the  older  widows.  Only  those  who 
have  reached  the  age  of  sixty  are  to  be  enrolled  among 
the  church's  wards.  Younger  widows  are  advised  to 
marry.  Other  women  who  are  able  are  to  support  the 
widows  dependent  upon  them  (v.  16).  There  is, not 
the  slightest  hint  that  there  was  an  "  order  "  of  widows 
at  the  time  Paul  wrote  these  epistles.  How  judicious 
and  yet  tender,  how  careful  yet  how  loving  and  gra- 
cious does  the  Lord  who  spoke  through  His  servant 
deal  with  the  poor,  the  helpless,  and  the  widow. 
Paganism,  in  the  loftiest  heights  it  ever  reaches  never 
thus  spreads  its  mantle  of  protection  over  the  forsaken 
and  the  dependent.  He  alone  who  calls  Himself  the 
Husband  of  the  widow,  the  Father  of  the  fatherless, 
ever  loves  and  helps  as  here  described. 

HL  Prophecy. — Two  predictions  are  noteworthy 
(i  Tim.  iv:  1-5  ;  2  Tim.  iii :  1-5).  Both  relate  to 
Christendom  and  both  announce  coming  perils  for  the 


THE  EPISTLE   TO   TITUS  1 65 

professing  church.  Dates  attach  to  each  of  these  pre- 
dictions. In  the  first  it  is  described  as  "  the  latter 
times,"  a  time  subsequent  to  the  apostle  and  running 
down  towards  the  end  of  the  age.  In  the  second  it  is 
"  the  last  days,"  the  days  immediately  preceding  the 
advent  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  (Matt,  xxiv ;  2  Thess. 
i :  7-10 ;  Rev.  xix).  The  first  indicates  that  the  defec- 
tion will  be  partial,  "  some  shall  depart  from  the 
faith  " ;  the  second  is  far  more  general,  almost  univer- 
sal. Both  have  marked  features.  In  the  first  there  is 
submission  to  evil  spirits  and  doctrines  of  demons,  to 
certain  forms  of  asceticism,  and  to  fables  and  myths, 
celibacy  as  superior  to  wedlock,  and  abstinence  from 
certain  foods.  The  features  of  the  second  are  far  darker 
and  more  ominous.  Here  the  defection  predicted  in 
the  first  has  deepened  into  open  revolt  and  defiance  of 
God  and  His  truth  and  will.  The  descriptive  epithets 
applied  to  the  rebels  in  2  Tim.  iii :  1-5  plainly  tell  that 
the  end  is  fast  coming  on,  that  the  predicted  apostasy 
(2  Thess.  ii :  3,  4)  is  becoming  history :  "  Self-lovers, 
money-lovers,  railers,  unfilial,  unholy,  unnatural,  im- 
placable, slanderers  .  .  .  traitors  .  .  .  hav- 
ing a  form  of  godhness  but  denying  the  power  thereof." 

How  near  we  may  be  to  this  last  and  worst  stage  of 
declension  existing  conditions  only  too  mournfully 
attest. 

IV.  The  five  faithful  sayings. — These  are  peculiar 
to  the  Pastoral  Epistles.  They  are  here  merely  noted 
with  the  main  idea  of  each  as  given  by  Humphreys  : — 

Christ's  coming — the  way  of  sin's  forgiveness 
(I  Tim.  i:  15). 


1 66       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW  TESTAMENT 

Christ's  ministry — the  way  of  noble  service  (i  Tim. 
iii :  i). 

Christ's  life — the  way  of  spiritual  progress  (i  Tim. 
iv:9). 

Christ's  world— the  way  of  honourable  work  (Tit. 
iii :  8). 

Christ's  strength — the  way  of  successful  suffering 
(2  Tim.  ii :  1 1). 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  PHILEMON 

This  short  but  exquisitely  beautiful  epistle  was 
written  from  Rome  during  Paul's  first  imprisonment, 
and  it  belongs  to  the  same  group  with  Ephesians,  Phi- 
lippians,  and  Colossians.  In  it  the  apostle  expresses 
his  confident  expectation  of  speedy  release  and  restor- 
ation to  his  friends  (v.  22).  Two  epistles  were  carried 
from  Rome  to  their  respective  destinations,  the  one  by 
Tychicus  to  the  Colossians,  and  the  other  by  Onesimus 
to  Philemon  of  Colossse  who  was  a  Christian  and  ob- 
viously a  man  of  some  note.  The  object  of  the  letter 
to  Philemon  is  explained  by  its  contents.  Onesimus  a 
slave  of  Philemon  had  run  away  from  his  master  and 
found  his  way  to  Rome.  Doubtless  he  felt  that  he 
would  be  safer  in  the  great  city  than  elsewhere  in  the 
whole  empire,  hence  sought  its  shelter.  That  he  was 
guilty  of  some  serious  offense  appears  certain  from 
vs.  II,  18;  but  just  what  his  guilt  was  is  not  made 
plain ;  likely  it  was  theft.  It  may  be  he  had  stolen 
money  from  Philemon.  Certain  it  is  he  was  "  un- 
profitable "  to  his  master  because  dishonest  and  un- 
faithful. A  fugitive  slave,  a  thousand  miles  from 
home,  haunted  with  constant  fear  of  detection  and  ar- 
rest, Onesimus  at  length  was  brought  within  the  circle 
of  Paul's  powerful  influence  and  was  led  into  a  saving 
acquaintance  of  Christ  (v.  10).  Him  Paul  sent  back 
to   Philemon  with  this   letter,  in  which  with  utmost 

167 


1 68       OUTLINE  STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

courtesy  of  language  and  in  the  spirit  of  Christ  Him- 
self the  apostle  commends  the  Christian  servant  to  the 
Christian  master,  "  no  longer  as  a  slave,  but  more  than 
a  slave,  a  brother  beloved,  specially  to  me,  but  how 
much  rather  to  thee,  both  in  the  flesh  and  in  the  Lord. 
.  .  .  Receive  him  as  myself  ...  as  my  very 
heart"  (vs.  12-17).  Never  was  there  such  a  "fugitive 
slave  law "  penned  as  this !  The  relation  between 
master  and  servant  is  hereby  transfigured,  and  both 
become  brethren  in  the  Lord  with  no  difference  and 
no  disparity  in  their  state  and  standing  with  the  Son 
of  God — freemen  alike  ! 

Human  slavery  in  the  Apostolic  age  was  universal. 
All  who  were  able  held  their  fellow  men  in  bondage 
and  the  laws  of  the  empire,  the  institutions  and 
customs  of  society  and  public  opinion  served  to 
tighten  the  chains  of  the  enslaved  and  to  absolve  the 
master  no  matter  how  despotic  his  rule  or  how  in- 
human his  treatment  of  his  slaves.  At  Rome  and 
throughout  Italy  where  immense  numbers  of  slaves 
were  held  the  authority  of  the  owner  was  absolute. 
Probably  the  same  absolute  power  obtained  in  the 
provinces.  In  his  hands  was  the  law  of  life  and 
death.  In  the  case  of  the  murder  of  a  master  by  a 
slave,  Roman  law  provided  that  the  entire  company 
of  slaves  pertaining  to  the  murdered  man  should  be 
put  to  death.  History  records  an  instance  of  such 
procedure.  In  the  year  a.  d.  61,  the  year  of  Paul's 
arrival  in  the  capital,  a  senator,  Pedanius  Secundus, 
Prefect  of  the  city,  had  been  murdered  by  one  of  his 
slaves ;  and  the  law  called  for  the  death  of  four  hun- 


THE  EPISTLE   TO    PHILEMON  1 69 

dred  persons.  "  The  Roman  populace,  wonderful  to 
relate,  was  roused  to  horror,  and  attempted  a  rescue. 
The  Senate,  gravely  debating  the  case,  resolved  that 
the  execution  must  proceed ;  it  was  a  matter  of  public 
safety.  Then  the  roads  were  Hned  with  troops,  and 
the  doom  was  carried  out  to  the  end."  In  Phrygia  to 
which  region  it  is  beheved  Onesimus  belonged,  a 
proverb,  current  from  ancient  times,  runs  on  this  wise  : 
"  A  Phrygian  is  schooled  by  the  whip."  "  A  run- 
away slave  could  not  lawfully  be  received  or  har- 
boured. The  master  was  entitled  to  pursue  him 
wherever  he  pleased,  and  it  was  the  duty  of  all 
authorities  to  give  him  aid."  In  short,  a  slave  was 
mere  property,  with  no  rights  that  he  could  claim  or 
enforce,  and  he  was  so  entirely  under  the  control  of 
his  owner  that  he  might  be  sold,  scourged,  or  put  to 
death,  without  trial  or  recourse. 

But  while  Paul  and  his  fellow  apostles  never  inter- 
fered with  existing  institutions  civil  or  domestic, 
though  deeply  conscious  of  the  enormous  wrongs 
everywhere  prevailing,  they  set  Christian  master  and 
servant  into  new  and  brotherly  relations,  so  that  the 
evils  were  obliterated,  peace,  the  very  peace  of  God, 
sweetly  dwelt  between  owner  and  owned.  In  Chris- 
tian households  the  slaves  were  practically  free,  and 
were  regarded  as  members  of  the  family,  children  of 
their  masters  because  all  were  children  of  God. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  straightforward  and  manly 
letters  ever  penned.  The  subject  was  a  difficult  one. 
The  question  of  slavery  must  often  have  been  in  the 
apostle's  mind,  and  he  knew  how  utterly  repugnant  to 


I/O       OUTLINE  STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

all  the  principles  of  Christianity  the  system  was. 
And  yet  how  humanely  and  tenderly  he  deals  with  it ! 
Onesimus  must  be  sent  back  to  Philemon,  for  he  was 
his  servant,  had  been  unfaithful  and  dishonest,  and 
while  Paul  might  command,  he  only  entreats  as  one 
Christian  with  another.  He  even  offered  to  repay  any 
money  that  Onesimus  might  owe.  But  throughout 
the  letter  it  is  manifest  that  this  converted  runaway 
was  dear  to  Paul ;  he  would  have  kept  him  with  him 
did  not  the  obligation  and  the  right  both  of  Onesimus 
and  Philemon  require  his  return. 

This  is  in  reality  the  first  anti-slavery  petition  ever 
written  and  presented.  It  is  not  a  proclamation  of 
emancipation.  Paul  makes  no  effort  whatever  to  re- 
construct the  social  order.  He  does  not  aim  to  rev- 
olutionize society.  He  knew  that  Christianity  would 
in  process  of  time  change  the  whole  face  of  human 
society.  He  could  patiently  wait  for  it  to  do  the  work 
which,  if  he  and  his  fellow  apostles  should  attempt, 
would  evoke  all  Rome's  power  to  crush  them  and  the 
infant  church.  Accordingly,  Paul  lays  here  broad 
and  deep  the  foundation  of  a  new  relation  between 
master  and  servant,  a  relation  in  which,  while  there  is 
subordination  of  the  one  to  the  other,  there  is  also  a 
common  brotherhood  to  be  acknowledged  and  an 
equality  before  God  to  be  maintained.  Christianity 
would  melt  the  fetters  from  the  enslaved  by  the  fervour 
of  its  love.  Men's  method  commonly  is,  to  strike 
them  off  by  armed  revolution.  The  letter,  besides, 
shows  what  the  apostle  was  in  little  things.  In 
Romans,  Galatians,  and  Ephesians  we  see  what  he  was  as 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    PHILEMON  I/I 

to  fundamental  truth,  and  his  own  Apostohc  authority 
and  mission.  Here  his  gentlemanUness,  his  courtesy 
and  broad  sympathies  are  revealed.  How  many 
philanthropists  in  their  private  life  are  proud,  hard, 
self-seeking :  in  theory  full  of  love  for  humanity,  in 
fact  full  of  selfishness.  In  Paul  the  same  love  that 
burned  with  such  ardour  for  Jew  and  Gentile,  for  great 
churches,  here  burns  for  a  fugitive  slave. 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS 

The  reading  and  study  of  this  great  Scripture 
serves  to  create  the  impression  that  it  is  the  pro- 
foundest  epistle  of  the  New  Testament.  Its  grasp  of 
the  subject  with  which  it  deals,  its  comprehensiveness 
and  its  minuteness  of  detail,  its  massive  arguments 
and  illustrations  invest  it  with  peculiar  interest. 
It  is  at  once  clear  and  logical,  though  often  con- 
densed to  the  point  of  sententiousness.  Its  exhor- 
tations are  most  fervid,  its  appeals  most  searching, 
and  its  eloquence  sustained  and  lofty.  Withal,  it  is 
unique  in  its  structure  and  method.  It  has  features 
which  mark  it  off  from  the  other  New  Testament 
epistles.  It  is  without  address.  It  begins  like  an 
essay  or  treatise,  but  it  ends  like  an  epistle.  It  closes 
each  exposition  or  topic  with  the  practical  application 
instead  of  reserving  it  for  the  end,  as  do  the  other 
longer  epistles.  It  copiously  cites  from  the  Old 
Testament,  but  its  quotations  are  made  exclusively 
from  the  Septuagint  or  Greek  translation.  It  never 
quotes  directly  from  the  Hebrew  Bible  as  the  other 
Biblical  writers  often  do.  Its  mode  of  introducing 
quotations  is  somewhat  peculiar.  It  does  not  use  the 
common  formula,  e.  g.,  "  It  is  written,"  "  Scripture 
saith,"  etc.  The  term  Scripture  is  not  found  in  it, 
"  the  word,"  or  "  the  word  of  God  "  takes  its  place. 

172 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  1 73 

The  form  employed  is,  "  he  {i.  e.,  God)  saith,"  "  the 
Holy  Ghost  saith,"  "  one  in  a  certain  place  testifieth," 
**  he  hath  spoken."  Except  in  one  passage  (iv :  7), 
the  human  writer  of  Scripture  is  nowhere  mentioned 
— ''  Saith  in  David." 

It  is  anonymous.  The  writer  seems  to  be  at  pains 
to  conceal  his  identity,  and  he  has  succeeded  in  sink- 
ing himself  out  of  sight  in  his  writing.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  prolonged  research  of  erudite  men,  and  in  spite 
of  ingenious  reasoning  and  plausible  arguments  and 
shrewd  guesses,  the  writer  of  Hebrews  remains  in  im- 
penetrable obscurity.  Origen's  view  of  the  authorship 
has  never  been  displaced  by  anything  better :  "  The 
thoughts  are  Paul's,  but  the  phraseology  and  composi- 
tion are  by  some  one  else.  .  .  .  Not  without  rea- 
son have  the  ancient  men  handed  down  the  epistle  as 
Paul's,  but  who  wrote  the  epistle  is  known  only  to 
God."  By  "  who  wrote  the  epistle,"  Origen  appears 
to  mean,  who  composed  it,  not  who  was  Paul's  aman- 
uensis. The  central  doctrine  here  unfolded  is  iden- 
tical with  Paul's  general  teaching  as  to  sin  and  salva- 
tion. And  yet  the  style  and  diction,  the  method  and 
structure,  differ  from  those  of  his  acknowledged  epis- 
tles. But  its  anonymous  character  does  not  invalidate 
its  canonicity.  The  book  of  Job  and  some  of  the 
Psalms  are  likewise  anonymous :  nobody  knows  who 
wrote  them,  though  there  are  guesses  in  plenty.  But 
this  fact  does  not  for  a  moment  stagger  the  faith  of  a 
believer  in  the  Divine  inspiration  of  these  sections  of 
the  Bible.  The  contents  of  Hebrews  constitute  the 
voucher  for  its  inspiration.     No  one  can  study  the 


1/4       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN    THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

epistle  with  open  mind  and  sympathetic  spirit — no  one 
can  go  down  into  its  depths,  or  even  try  to — without 
being  profoundly  convinced  that  this,  hke  the  other 
books  of  the  New  Testament,  is  from  God  the  Holy 
Spirit.  On  its  very  face  the  epistle  bears  the  Divine 
Imprimatur.  For  the  writer,  whoever  he  was,  had  a 
piercing  insight  into  the  very  heart  of  ancient  Judaism, 
as  his  masterful  exposition  of  its  true  meaning  so  mani- 
festly displays. 

The  epistle  was  written  to  Christian  Hebrews.  They 
were  probably  a  definite  community  which  had  long 
existed  (xiii :  7  r.  v. ;  v  :  1 2  ;  xii :  1 8-24).  They  had  suf- 
fered imprisonment  and  loss  of  goods  (x :  32-34),  but 
had  not  as  a  community  endured  bloody  persecution 
(xii :  4).  A  crisis  was  impending  which  threatened 
painful  separation  from  their  former  associations  and 
the  destruction  of  what  was  precious  to  all  Israelites 
(x:25;  xii:  27;  xiii:  13,  14).  These  allusions  point 
to  Christians  of  Palestine.  If  the  removing  of  the 
things  shaken,  mentioned  in  xii :  27,  refers  to  the 
Mosaic  institutions,  the  inference  appears  legitimate 
that  those  thus  addressed  lived  in  Palestine,  possibly  in 
Jerusalem.  To  no  other  Hebrews  is  the  rebuke  so  ap- 
plicable, viz.,  "  for  when  by  reason  of  the  time  ye  ought 
to  be  teachers,"  etc.,  (v:  12).  From  the  first  these 
Christian  Jews  had  heard  the  Gospel  message,  had  wit- 
nessed and  felt  its  power,  and  had  rejoiced  in  the  par- 
don and  the  assurance  which  it  brings  to  believing 
souls.  Accordingly,  it  seems  certain  that  they  be- 
longed to  Palestine.  It  is  likely  also  that  the  writer 
had  in  view  some  congregation  consisting  of  Christian 


THE  EPISTLE   TO   THE    HEBREWS  1/5 

Jews  whose  location  exposed  them  to  trials  and  the 
danger  of  lapsing  from  the  faith.  It  cannot  be  proved 
that  he  addressed  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  though  to 
no  other  place  could  the  epistle  be  more  fittingly  sent. 
This  was  the  original  centre  of  Christianity,  its  church 
was  the  mother  of  all  the  churches.  It  was  the  most 
prominent  and  influential  of  all  the  churches  in  the 
world.  It  was  in  this  church  that  the  vital  question 
which  had  arisen  at  Antioch  touching  the  relation  of 
Gentile  believers  to  the  law  of  Moses  was  definitely 
settled.  The  Jews  of  Jerusalem  were  more  strenuously 
attached  to  the  Mosaic  ritual  and  Hebrew  hopes  than 
others.  Nor  were  the  Christian  Hebrews  of  the  holy 
city  less  devoted  to  Moses,  as  the  Epistle  of  James  and 
the  Acts  disclose.  James,  the  pastor  at  Jerusalem,  said 
to  Paul,  on  the  occasion  of  the  latter's  last  visit, "  Thou 
seest,  brother,  how  many  thousands  of  Jews  there  are 
who  believe ;  and  they  are  all  zealous  of  the  law  " 
(Acts  xxi:20,  21).  A  powerful  pressure  was  con- 
stantly exerted  on  these  Christian  Jews  to  draw  them 
back  into  the  bosom  of  Judaism,  and  this  epistle  was 
written  in  great  part  to  prevent  such  disaster.  More- 
over, it  appears  clear  to  many  that  the  readers  of  the 
epistle  had  the  temple  and  its  services  under  their  eye 
(ix;  x;  xiii  :9-i7).  If  this  be  true,  then  the  conclu- 
sion is  legitimate  that  believing  Jews  of  Palestine,  per- 
haps of  Jerusalem,  are  those  addressed.  Its  place  of 
composition  is  unknown.  The  phrase,  "  they  of  Italy 
salute  you,"  may  mean  either  that  the  writer  was  in 
Italy,  or  that  certain  Italians  were  with  him.  Nor  can 
the  date  be  determined  with  any  certainty.     Some- 


176       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

where   between  A.   d.   63-67  it  was  written,  perhaps 
nearer  the  first  than  the  second  of  these  dates. 

Analysis. 

The  epistle  is  somewhat  difficult  of  analysis  because, 
while  there  are  marked  divisions  in  it,  these  overlap 
and  run  into  each  other,  forming  thus  a  compact 
unity.  The  junctures  are  so  close  and  the  articulation 
of  the  various  parts  is  so  logically  perfect  that  partition 
is  almost  impossible.  One  feels  as  if  he  were  endeav- 
ouring to  dissect  a  living  organism  when  he  seeks  to 
sever  part  from  part  in  this  marvellous  Scripture. 
Nevertheless,  there  are  certain  well  defined  branches 
in  the  treatment  of  the  general  subject  that  are  easily 
discerned,  and  that,  pointed  out,  may  help  to  a  clearer 
understanding  of  the  structure  of  the  epistle  and  the 
conduct  of  the  argument  and  demonstration.  A  broad 
division  is  this  : 

I.  The  doctrinal  discussion  (chaps,  i-x:  18). 

II.  The  practical  application  (x:  19-xiii). 
A  more  particular  analysis  is  the  following : 

{a)  Chaps,  i-vii : — Theme,  Christ  the  True  Priest. 
(d)  Chaps,  viii-x  :  18: — Theme,  Perfect  Offering  of 

the  True  Priest. 
(<r)  Chaps,  x :  19-xiii : — Theme,  Trials  and  Triumphs 
of  Faith  in  the  One  True  Priest  and  His  Per- 
fect Offering. 
The  writer  of  Hebrews  delights  in  striking  contrasts 
and  comparisons.     His  arguments  and  expositions  are 
largely  composed  of  these.     He  uses  them  not  alone 
to  illustrate  and  enforce  his  teaching,  but  they  enter 


THE   EPISTLE    TO    THE    HEBREWS  1 77 

into  his  plan,  and  in  many  instances  they  form  the  es- 
sential truth  of  the  profound  doctrines  he  unfolds. 
Some  of  the  contrasts  may  be  pointed  out : — 

1.  Chaps,   i,  ii : — Contrast   between   the   Son  and 
angels. 

2.  Chap,  iii :  i-i  i  : — Contrast  between  the  Son  and 
Moses. 

3.  Chaps,  iii:  i2-iv:  13: — Contrast  between  enter- 
ing the  rest  of  Canaan  and  the  rest  of  God. 

4.  Chaps,  iv:  14-v:  10: — Contrast  between  Christ 
and  Aaron. 

5.  Chap,  v:  11-14: — Contrast  between  Babyhood 
and  Maturity. 

6.  Chap,    vi : — Contrast    between    Apostasy   and 
faithfulness. 

7.  Chap,  vii : — Contrast  between  Melchizedek  and 
Aaronic  priesthoods. 

8.  Chap,  viii : — Contrast  between  the  Old  Covenant 
and  the  New. 

9.  Chaps,  ix,  x:   18: — Contrast  between  offerings 
of  the  law  and  offering  of  Christ. 

10.  Chap,   x:    19-39: — Contrast    between   punish- 
ment under  the  law  and  under  the  Gospel. 

11.  Chap,  xi: — The  nature  and  action  of  faith. 

12.  Chap,     xii : — Contrast     between    earthly     and 
heavenly  congregations  and  cities. 

The  contrasts  made  between  the  persons  and  things 
mentioned  above  are  very  marked  and  explicit,  save 
in  one  case,  that,  viz.,  of  No.  1 1 — the  nature  and  action 
of  faith.     And  yet  there  seems  to  be  a  suppressed 


1/8        OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

antithesis  even  in  this  case,  viz.,  that  of  a  hving  and 
operative  faith  as  opposed  to  a  mere  profession  which 
says  but  never  does  nor  dares. 

There  are  five  noteworthy  exhortations  in  Hebrews. 
Each  of  them  is  based  on  Israehtish  history,  and  the 
five  mark  successive  stages  in  the  history. 

1.  Chapter  ii :  1-4 : — Sinai  and  its  impressive 
scenes. — Extraordinary  and  solemn  were  the  phenom- 
ena that  accompanied  the  giving  of  the  Law  at  Sinai 
(Ex.  xix:  10-18;  Heb.  xii :  18-21).  But  the  Gospel 
message  is  more  abundantly  and  convincingly  con- 
firmed. By  as  much  as  the  salvation  is  great  because 
wrought  and  brought  by  the  Lord  Christ,  because  it 
was  faithfully  transmitted  to  us  by  trustworthy  eye- 
witnesses, and  because  it  is  attested  by  God  Himself 
with  mighty  signs  and  wonders  and  gifts  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  by  so  much  is  enhanced  the  tremendous  peril 
of  neglecting  it.  "  For  if  the  word  spoken  by  angels 
was  steadfast,  and  every  transgression  and  disobedi- 
ence received  a  just  recompense  of  reward,  how  shall 
we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation?" — Sinai 
and  Calvary,  the  law  and  the  Gospel,  are  here  sharply 
confronted  with  each  other. 

2.  Chapter  iii :  7-19: — The  wilderness  journey. — 
Israel  in  the  wilderness  and  their  fall  through  unbelief, 
Christians  in  the  world  exposed  to  similar  dangers — 
this  is  the  point  of  comparison  and  the  basis  of  the 
powerful  appeal.  The  people  of  God  then  hardened 
their  hearts,  provoked  the  Lord  to  anger,  and  tempted 
Him ;  hence  were  excluded  from  the  promised  rest. 
"  The  deceitfulness  of  sin,"  "  an  evil  heart  of  unbeHef," 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    HEBREWS  1/9 

and  "  disobedience  "  led  them  to  depart  from  the  Hv- 
ing  God.  We  are  exposed  to  the  Hke  sin  and  doom. 
"Take  heed,"  "hold  fast,"  "exhort  one  another" — 
this  is  the  earnest  exhortation  now.  "  For  we  are 
made  partakers  of  Christ,  if  we  hold  the  beginning  of 
our  confidence  steadfast  unto  the  end,  while  it  is  said, 
"  To-day  if  ye  will  hear  His  voice  harden  not  your 
hearts  as  in  the  provocation." 

3.  Chapter  iv  :  i-ii  : — Canaan  and  its  rest. — The 
significant  names  of  it  are,  "His  rest"  (v.  i);  "my 
rest"  (vs.  3,  5) ;  "  rest"  (vs.  3,  9).  Both  Canaan  and 
heaven  are  meant,  the  one,  the  shadow,  the  other,  the 
eternal  reality.  When  Israel  under  the  leadership  of 
Joshua  conquered  Canaan  and  "  possessed  their  pos- 
sessions," they  entered  into  rest.  The  Wilderness 
with  its  sins  and  judgments,  its  disasters  and  sorrows, 
was  behind  them.  Their  days  of  weary  marching  and 
counter-marching  were  over.  At  last  they  were  home. 
But  Canaan  with  its  fruits  was  not  God's  rest.  It  was 
only  a  faint  image  of  it.  Into  that  rest  many  of  them 
failed  to  enter  through  unbelief  (v.  6).  It  still  lies 
open,  awaiting  entrance.  We  enter  it  by  faith  (v.  3). 
We  are  exultantly  assured  "  There  remaineth  therefore 
a  rest  to  the  people  of  God  "  (v.  9).  It  is  a  Sabbath 
rest,  like  that  of  God  when  creation  was  finished 
(v.  4),  like  the  series  of  rests  appointed  the  chosen  peo- 
ple, the  weekly  Sabbath,  the  seventh-year  Sabbath,  the 
great  Jubilee  Sabbath  of  the  fiftieth  year.  The  full 
import  of  these  significant  seasons,  the  glorious  prophe- 
cies hidden  in  each  of  them,  when  full  redemption 
shall  be  ours,  when  creation  itself  shall  be  delivered 


l80        OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

from  the  bondage  of  corruption  into  the  Hberty  of  the 
glory  of  the  children  of  God  (Rom.  viii  :  21),  when 
every  debt  shall  be  discharged  and  the  alienated 
inheritance  be  fully  and  forever  restored,  when  God 
Himself  shall  be  our  God  and  dwell  with  us  in  blissful, 
unbroken  communion — then  shall  we  indeed  know  the 
eternal  Sabbatism  that  remaineth  for  the  people  of 
God.  And  so  the  exhortation  is,  "  Let  us  labour 
therefore  to  enter  into  that  rest  lest  any  man  fall  after 
the  same  example  of  unbelief" 

4.  Chapter  x:  18-39: — The  temple,  the  sprinkled 
blood,  and  the  Lord's  faithfulness  are  the  basis  of  this 
strong  appeal.  There  is,  first  the  liberty  of  access  to 
believers  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  (vs. 
19-25).  The  symbolism  is  that  of  the  Temple  at  Je- 
rusalem, the  shed  blood,  and  the  rent  veil. 

Christians,  whether  of  Jewish  or  Gentile  extraction, 
have  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest,  and  to  draw 
near  to  God.  This  liberty  of  access  rests  on  three 
firm  grounds :  (i)  The  blood  of  Jesus.  His  atone- 
ment forever  avails  to  open  the  new  and  living  way 
and  fit  us,  sinners  as  we  are,  by  its  precious  applica- 
tion, to  stand  before    God   accepted   and    redeemed. 

(2)  The  Great  High  Priest  over  the  house  of  God. 
This  also  is  the  Lord  Jesus,  who  ever  liveth  to  make 
intercession  for  us,  and  who  accordingly  is  able  to  save 
to  the  uttermost  all  who  come  to  God  through  Him. 

(3)  God's  faithfulness — "  He  is  faithful  that  promised." 
He  can  never  break  His  pHghted  word,  for  He  has  by 
two  immutable  things.  His  promise  and  His  oath, 
given  us  the  strongest  possible  encouragement  and  as- 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    HEBREWS  l8l 

surance  that  we  shall  be  saved  (vi :  17-20).  We  can 
conceive  of  no  more  valid  grounds  than  these  on 
which  to  urge  Christians  to  hold  fast  the  confession  of 
their  faith  firmly  and  unwaveringly  to  the  end. 

Then  the  exhortation  is  enforced  by  the  dreadful 
doom  of  apostasy  (x  :  26-31).  "  If  we  sin  willfully  after 
that  we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin,  but  a  fearful 
looking  for  of  judgment,  and  a  fierceness  of  fire  which 
shall  devour  the  adversaries."  To  *'  sin  willfully " 
does  not  describe  a  single  act  of  sin,  but  a  state.  It 
means  to  apostatize  from  Christ  and  to  abjure  the  faith 
in  Him  which  alone  saves.  It  refers  to  those  who  de- 
liberately, definitely,  and  finally  turn  away  from  Christ, 
and  go  back  to  Judaism  or  to  the  world.  For  such 
the  apostle  says  there  remains  nothing  but  over- 
whelming judgment  and  devouring  wrath.  Apostasy 
is  the  blackest  sin  men  commit.  For  it  involves  a 
deliberate  and  scornful  trampling  upon  the  Son  of 
God  :  a  profanation  of  His  sacrificial  blood,  counting 
it  a  common  thing,  the  blood  of  an  ordinary  man,  in  no 
way  able  to  save :  insulting  the  Spirit  of  grace,  blas- 
pheming the  whole  work  of  grace  and  exhibiting  it  as 
a  deception  and  a  lie.  Below  this  awful  deep  there  is 
not  a  lower.  "  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  living  God."  Fearful,  because  exposed, 
without  possibility  of  escape  or  of  atonement,  to  the 
wrath  of  the  eternal  righteousness.  It  will  then  be 
"  too  late  to  cry  for  mercy  when  it  is  the  time  of  jus- 
tice." 

We  are  urged  to  hold  fast  by  the  hope  of  the  Lord's 


1 82        OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

second  advent  (x  :  32-39).  These  Christian  Hebrews 
had  endured  a  great  fight  of  afflictions,  had  identified 
themselves  with  other  Christian  sufferers,  had  taken 
joyfully  the  spoiHng  of  their  goods.  Let  them  hold 
fast  their  confidence  and  their  hope.  "  Cast  not  away 
therefore  your  boldness,  which  hath  great  recompense 
of  reward."  The  Lord  is  coming,  and  at  His  appear- 
ing they  shall  enter  into  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory.  It  will  not  be  long — ♦*  for  yet  a  little  while — 
how  short,  how  short ! — He  that  cometh  shall  come, 
and  shall  not  tarry." 

5.  Chapter  xii :  18-25  - — The  old  covenant  and  the 
new  ;  the  earthly  city  and  the  heavenly ;  the  Hebrew 
congregation  and  the  Church  of  the  first-born. — 
Again  the  imagery  is  taken  solely  from  Israelitish 
things  and  scenes  :  the  Sinai  covenant  with  its  terrible 
sanctions,  the  Jerusalem  of  the  land  and  its  people — 
Judaism,  in  short,  with  all  its  wonderful  story.  With 
all  this  Christianity  stands  in  sharpest  contrast.  We 
Christians  are  not  come  to  the  mount  that  can  be 
touched,  to  the  blackness  and  darkness  and  tempest, 
but  we  are  come  to  Zion,  city  of  the  living  God,  to  a 
vast  host  of  angels,  to  a  heavenly  citizenship,  to  God 
Himself,  to  saints  made  perfect,  to  Jesus  the  Mediator, 
and  to  His  peace-speaking  blood.  What  indescriba- 
ble dignities  and  honours — what  amazing  privileges  are 
these  !    "  See  that  ye  refuse  not  Him  that  speaketh." 

These  five  exhortations  span  a  large  portion  of 
Israel's  history.  They  start  with  Sinai  and  end  with 
Jerusalem,  and  through  them  all  the  apostle  finds  the 
deepest    and   most   intensely   vital   truth,   truth    that 


THE   EPISTLE    TO   THE    HEBREWS  1 83 

touches  the  diversified  phases  of  Christian  life  and  ex- 
perience. Sinai,  the  Wilderness,  Land  of  Promise,  the 
Sprinkled  Blood,  the  Holy  City.  It  is  another  and  a 
marvellously  illuminated  Pilgrim's  Progress.  There  is 
first,  the  great  salvation.  Then  the  pilgrim  life  suc- 
ceeds, with  its  defeats  and  victories,  with  the  Delecta- 
ble Mountains  and  Beulah  Land  and  their  ecstatic 
visions  and  glorious  hopes.  But  these  are  balanced 
by  frightful  combats  and  horrible  temptations  and 
crafty  snares  and  cunning  wiles  whereby  the  pilgrim's 
feet  are  constantly  imperilled.  But  faith  in  the  ef^- 
cacy  of  atoning  blood,  faith  in  the  unchangeable 
promise  of  the  living  God,  triumphs  over  all  antago- 
nisms and  hindrances  until  at  length  the  Celestial  City 
is  entered  amid  songs  of  joy  and  shouts  of  welcome. 

Design. 
The  scope  of  Hebrews  is  ascertained,  like  other 
books,  by  its  contents.  Surveying  the  wide  field  of 
this  magnificent  epistle  one  becomes  persuaded  that 
there  are  several  lines  of  truth  traceable  in  it.  For 
there  is  a  manifoldness  and  comprehensiveness  in  it,  as 
there  is  likewise  in  other  books  of  Scripture.  In  this 
short  writing  the  Spirit  of  revelation  combines  a 
variety  of  ends  and  aims  that  we  may  know  the  things 
freely  given  us  of  God.  Four  such  Hnes  are  now  to 
be  traced  that  a  distinct  apprehension  of  its  purposes 
may  be  had.  The  four  may  be  here  set  down :  I.  A 
preventive  of  apostasy.  II.  The  typical  character  of 
the  Mosaic  Institutions.  III.  Christianity  a  finality. 
IV.  Nature  and  action  of  faith. 


184       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THJE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

I.  Hebrews  is  designed  to  be  a  preventive  of 
apostasy.  Already  this  feature  of  Hebrews  has  been 
mentioned,  but  it  demands  a  closer  and  more  ex- 
tended scrutiny.  Jewish  Christians  of  the  apostolic 
age  were  exposed  to  peculiar  temptations  to  renounce 
the  Lord  Jesus,  to  abandon  the  Gospel  and  to  return 
to  the  faith  of  the  great  body  of  their  nation.  All 
their  lives  previous  to  their  conversion  they  had  been 
taught  to  reverence  the  Mosaic  institutions  as  of 
Divine  origin  and  authority,  and  to  beheve  that  in 
them  Jehovah  Himself  spoke  to  His  chosen  people, 
and  through  them  Israel  had  communion  with  Him. 
The  infinite  superiority  of  Judaism  over  paganism,  the 
exalted  advantages  and  distinctive  privileges  pertaining 
to  the  Jew,  the  splendid  ceremonies  of  the  temple,  the 
promises  made  to  the  fathers,  and  the  hopes  and 
destiny  of  the  race  so  emphatically  foretold  by  the 
prophets — all  these  and  much  more  exerted  a  most 
potent  influence  over  them,  and  strongly  tended  to 
draw  them  away  from  Christ.  We  can  understand  the 
peculiar  force  of  such  influences  when  we  remember 
the  mental  torture  some  of  the  Reformers  of  the 
sixteenth  century  endured.  They  had  caught  the 
light  of  truth,  they  understood  the  doctrine  of  the 
cross,  they  realized  that  the  church  of  their  fathers, 
the  church  in  which  they  themselves  had  been  born 
and  nurtured,  had  profoundly  corrupted  the  Christian 
faith  and  had  buried  the  glorious  Gospel  of  the  grace 
of  God  beneath  multitudinous  ordinances  and  ob- 
servances of  human  device,  had  brought  the  people 
of  God  into  a  bondage  as  thorough  and  relentless  as 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    HEBREWS  1 85 

paganism  itself.  But  how  loath  were  many  of  these 
men  to  whom  God  by  His  word  and  Spirit  had 
spoken,  to  abandon  it.  How  fondly  their  hearts 
clung  to  it.  It  was  a  bad,  unholy  mother,  that  old 
church,  it  might  be ;  but  still  it  was  the  mother.  And 
when  they  finally  broke  with  it  and  went  forth,  like 
Abraham  not  knowing  whither  they  went,  anathema- 
tized by  the  Pope  and  hated  by  a  pitiless  priesthood, 
how  often  and  wistfully  did  they  look  back  to  the  old 
home  and  sigh  for  return,  if  return  had  been  possible. 
The  feeling  is  natural  because  perfectly  human ;  nor  is 
it  altogether  evil.  Out  of  it  the  noblest  and  purest 
patriotism  springs.  But  loyalty  to  Christ  and  His 
eternal  truth  transcends  this  and  every  other  merely 
human  feeling.  Thus  it  was  with  many  Christians  in 
Palestine.  Israel's  magnificent  history  of  more  than 
twelve  centuries,  starting  with  Abraham  the  father  and 
founder  of  the  race,  "the  friend  of  God";  Israel's 
radiant  galaxy  of  the  very  greatest  men,  lawgiver, 
conqueror  of  Canaan,  priests,  judges,  kings,  prophets, 
poets,  warriors,  patriots,  statesmen  ;  Israel's  covenant 
relation  with  Jehovah,  and  the  mighty  future  promised 
the  chosen  race;  Israel's  exalted  morahty,  her  unsur- 
passed system  of  law^s  religious,  civil,  criminal,  and 
even  sanitary  and  dietetic — is  it  any  wonder  that  the 
heart  of  a  Hebrew  throbbed  with  exultation  and  hope 
when  he  thought  of  it  all  ?  Is  it  surprising  that  such 
a  people  and  such  a  history  had  for  him  a  strange 
fascination,  a  supreme  attraction?  Moreover,  or- 
thodox Israelites  were  persecuting  Christians.  They 
did  everything  within  their  power  short  of  murder  to 


1 86       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

withdraw  their  brethren  who  had  embraced  the  faith 
of  the  Gospel.  To  persecutions  and  threats  they 
added  arguments,  remonstrances,  entreaties  derived 
mainly  from  the  excellency  of  Mosaism.  They  had 
the  priesthood,  the  temple,  altars,  victims  ;  they  had 
the  covenants  and  promises,  the  Oracles  of  God,  and 
the  splendid  ritual.  Of  none  of  these  things  could 
Christians  boast.  They  were  without  temple,  priest, 
and  altar.  And  so  in  the  eye  of  the  Jew  Christianity 
with  its  simple  worship,  its  lowly  places  of  assembly, 
its  stern  refusal  to  recognize  race  distinctions  and 
social  rank,  must  sink  in  comparison.  Accordingly, 
Hebrews  deals  with  the  whole  question  of  backsliding 
and  with  the  peril  of  renouncing  Jesus  Christ. 

As  already  intimated,  the  earnest  exhortations  with 
which  it  abounds  indicates  this  supreme  object  of  the 
epistle.  Its  appeal  is,  "  hold  fast,"  be  firm  and  steady 
even  to  the  end.  It  is  seen  also  in  the  ominous  ex- 
amples it  cites  as  to  the  terrible  results  of  drawing 
back,  and  the  fearful  doom  which  inevitably  awaits  the 
apostate. 

In  chap,  ii:  I,  it  is  written,  "  Therefore  we  ought  to 
give  the  more  earnest  heed  to  the  things  that  we 
heard,  lest  haply  we  drift  away  from  them  "  (r.  v.). 
The  excellent  King  James  is  here  somewhat  faulty, 
for  it  says,  "  lest  we  should  let  them  slip,"  as  if  they 
were  seeking  to  escape  us.  But  the  danger  is,  not  that 
the  things  of  the  Gospel  should  prove  unstable — they 
are  eternal — but  that  we  should  break  their  ties  and 
drift  away.  Or,  to  change  the  figure,  a  leaky  memory 
and  a  plastic  conscience  are  treacherous  and  unsafe. 


THE    EPISTLE   TO    THE    HEBREWS  1 8/ 

In  iii :  12,  we  read,  *'  Take  heed,  brethren,  lest  there 
be  in  any  one  of  you  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in  de- 
parting from  the  living  God."  This  warning  may  be 
regarded  as  the  keynote  of  the  epistle ;  it  is  the 
chord  that  rules  the  strain.  Unbelief  is  the  vicious 
root  of  apostasy  from  the  living  God.  Unbelief  has 
its  seat  in  the  heart,  and  it  poisons  the  whole  being, 
slays  the  soul  itself.  It  was  unbelief  that  strewed  the 
desert  with  the  carcasses  of  that  generation,  and  that 
rounded  over  them  the  sand-heaps.  It  was  unbelief 
that  excluded  all  Israel  from  entrance  into  the  land 
of  promise  save  Caleb  and  Joshua.  "  They  could  not 
enter  in  because  of  unbelief."  How  personal  and 
direct,  how  freighted  with  solemn  warning  are  the  re- 
peated expressions  and  exhortations  in  tliis  third 
chapter  of  the  epistle  :  "  Harden  not  your  hearts," 
"  take  heed,"  "  hear  His  voice,"  "  exhort  one  another 
while  it  is  called  to-day."  It  is  a  gracious  danger- 
signal  which  the  Lord  Himself  flashes  in  the  very 
faces  of  Christian  Jews,  and  of  us  as  well.  For  the 
peril  of  apostasy  is  no  less  possible  to  us  Gentile  be- 
lievers than  to  them.  Perhaps  not  in  half  a  millennium 
has  there  been  such  imminent  peril  of  apostasy  from 
the  living  God  as  in  our  day  and  generation.  In  the 
bosom  of  Christendom  itself  there  is  a  deep,  swift 
current,  a  stream  of  tendency,  away  from  the  very 
central  truth  of  God.  To  us  as  to  them  comes  the 
cogent  appeal,  "  take  heed,"  "  hold  fast,"  "  exhort  one 
another." 

Chapter  iv :  14,  "  Seeing  then  that  we  have  a  great 
high  priest,  that  is  passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus  the 


1 88        OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

Son  of  God,  let  us  hold  fast  our  profession  (confes- 
sion)." The  summons  to  faithfulness  here  rests  on  a 
different  basis  from  that  of  iii.  That  springs  from  the 
fatality  of  unbelief  as  seen  in  the  wilderness ;  this  on 
the  priesthood  of  our  Lord.  Since  our  Priest  is  Jesus 
the  perfect  Man  who  is  able  to  sympathize  with  us  in 
all  our  trials  and  temptations,  since  He  is  the  Son  of 
God,  Himself  God,  He  is  able  effectively  to  help  and 
deHver,  therefore  let  us  hold  fast  our  confession.  He 
is  genuinely  human.  He  has  had  personal  experience 
of  all  that  comes  into  human  life,  for  He  was  tempted 
in  all  points  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin ;  He  is  the  Son 
of  God,  supreme  in  dignity,  authority,  and  power; 
"  He  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come 
unto  God  by  Him  "  (vii :  25).  This  is  the  motive  to 
strengthen  and  urge  us  to  hold  fast  our  confession. 

Chapter  x:  23,  "Let  us  hold  fast  the  profession 
(confession)  of  our  faith  without  wavering;  for  He  is 
faithful  that  promised."  The  exhortation  here  rests 
on  two  weighty  considerations  :  the  perfect  sacrifice  of 
Christ,  our  Great  High  Priest ;  and  the  faithfulness  of 
God  who  has  promised  eternal  salvation  through  Him. 
The  Revision  has  hope  instead  of  faith,  and  rightly  it 
would  seem,  from  the  fact  that  faith  appears  in  verse 
22,  hope  in  verse  23,  and  love  in  verse  24.  Christians 
make  the  confession  of  their  hope  when  they  acknowl- 
edge the  Lord  Jesus  with  a  true  heart.  They  main- 
tain it  by  steadfastly  adhering  to  it,  by  cultivating  it, 
by  rejoicing  in  it,  and  by  preventing  its  wavering. 

Other  hortatory  teaching  of  the  epistle  is  found 
more  emphatic  even  than  that  already  pointed  out. 


THE    EPISTLE    TO    THE    HEBREWS  1 89 

One  example  occurs  in  vi :  4-6.  In  a  Scripture  which 
abounds  with  the  most  tender  appeals  and  the  most 
fearful  threats  none  is  so  dark  and  so  hopeless  as  this. 
"  For  it  is  impossible  for  those  who  were  once  en- 
lightened, and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and 
were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have 
tasted  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the 
world  to  come,  if  they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them 
again  unto  repentance ;  seeing  they  crucify  to  them- 
selves the  Son  of  God  afresh,  and  put  Him  to  an  open 
shame."  The  Revised  Version  reads,  "  And  then  fell 
away,"  in  place  of  the  somewhat  faulty,  "  if  they  shall 
fall  away."  All  the  verbs  are  in  the  past  tense.  The 
statement  is  hypothetical,  but  the  possibility  of  its  be- 
coming a  reality  seems  to  be  imphed  in  this  solemn 
language.  Wonderful  attainments  are  ascribed  to 
these  suppositional  persons  ;  attainments  and  gifts 
such  as  seem  to  mark  them  off  as  genuine  believers. 
So  the  majority  of  interpreters  regard  the  passage. 
Notwithstanding,  let  two  things  be  noted  as  to  the 
terms  of  the  description:  (i)  Great  as  are  their  ex- 
periences and  possessions,  not  a  word  is  said  either  of 
their  faith  or  their  love.  If  they  actually  possessed 
these  two  marks  of  regeneration,  the  question  would 
be  settled — saved  people  we  should  undoubtedly  call 
them.  In  the  absence  of  faith  and  love,  the  things 
alleged  of  them  may  be  chiefly  intellectual,  together 
with  the  "  common  operations  of  the  Spirit."  Instance 
in  point  is  Balaam  who  was  endowed  with  extraordi- 
nary gifts,  whom  Jehovah  inspired  to  prophesy,  and 
yet  he  "  loved  the  hire  of  wrong-doing  "  and  miserably 


190        OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

perished.  Judas  Iscariot  belongs  to  the  same  class. 
To  those  who  shall  say  to  Jesus  in  the  great  day, 
"  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  Thy  name  ? 
and  in  Thy  name  have  cast  out  devils  ?  and  in  Thy 
name  done  many  wonderful  works  ? " — His  stern 
words  will  be,  "  I  never  knew  you ;  depart  from  Me, 
ye  that  work  iniquity"  (Matt,  vii :  21-23).  Gifts  of 
the  highest  order  whether  natural  or  acquired,  may 
distinguish  even  unsaved  men.  Bunyan  rightly  said, 
•*  1  saw  that  there  was  a  way  to  hell  from  the  very 
gates  of  heaven."  (2)  The  term  **  crucify  "  is  a  pres- 
ent tense  and  denotes  what  these  suppositional  per- 
sons are  actually  doing.  So  long  as  they  thus  do,  the 
apostle's  tremendous  word  stands  like  a  mountain  of 
iron — *'  impossible  !  "  They  can  find  no  repentance 
and  restoration  to  God.  Jesus  is  exalted  "  to  give  re- 
pentance to  Israel  and  forgiveness  of  sins "  (Acts 
v:  31).  If  He  is  renounced,  in  effect  again  crucified 
to  them,  return  is  impossible,  their  doom  is  sealed. 
But  if  it  be  proper  to  ask  it — if  they  should  cease  to 
crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God,  if  they  could 
and  would  give  up  this  fatal  attitude  towards  Christ — 
would  not  restoration  be  possible  ?  If,  however,  the 
present  tense,  "  crucify,"  denotes  continuous  and  per- 
sistent action,  then  renewal  is  impossible ;  apart  from 
Him  there  is  no  repentance,  their  fate  is  settled. 

Now  this  utter  hopelessness  of  the  willful  apostate  is 
introduced  by  the  writer  as  a  preventive  against  the 
doom  described,  the  suicide  of  the  soul.  The  follow- 
ing verses  clearly  exhibit  that  such  is  his  aim.  He 
does  not  expect  the  Hebrews  to  commit  the  awful  sin 


THE    EPISTLE   TO   THE    HEBREWS  IQI 

against  which  he  so  passionately  warns.  He  is  per- 
suaded better  things  of  them,  things  that  accompany 
salvation,  though  he  thus  speaks.  But  he  inserts  the 
warning  that  they  may  be  steadfast,  unmovable,  to 
the  end. 

Chapter  x:  26-31  is  another  stern  admonition  par- 
allel with  vi :  4-6.  Here  once  more  the  apostle  de- 
scribes a  final  renunciation  and  repudiation  of  the 
Lord  Christ,  and  the  merciless  judgment  that  must 
follow.  Helpless  and  hopeless  they  must  remain  who 
deliberately  and  finally  desert  the  Saviour.  "  There 
remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  but  a  certain  fear- 
ful looking  for  of  judgment."  Mercy  abused  and  in- 
sulted turns  at  length  into  wTath.  "  If  men  have  m- 
sulted  God,  poured  contempt  upon  His  Son,  counted 
the  blood  of  the  covenant  as  an  unworthy  thing, 
grieved  and  quenched  the  Holy  Spirit,  what  can  pos- 
sibly remain  of  a  remedial  kmd  ?  .  .  .  What  re- 
mains after  God  has  been  exhausted  ?  "  (Parker).  But 
here  again  the  object  is  to  prevent  the  ruin  so  fright- 
fully portrayed.  "  Cast  not  away  therefore  your  con- 
fidence." '•  We  are  not  of  them  that  draw  back  to 
perdition,  but  of  them  that  believe  to  the  saving  of 
the  soul." 

Chap,  xii :  14-17,  "Follow  peace  .  .  .  and 
hoHness  .  .  .  looking  diligently  lest  any  man 
as  Esau."  This  impressive  example  of 
Esau's  contemptuous  indifference  to  the  great  rights 
and  privileges  of  the  covenant  is  designed  to  forestall 
the  like  criminal  behaviour  on  the  part  of  Christians. 
Three  times  the  word  lest  occurs  in  the  passage,  and 


192        OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

it  marks  a  threefold  danger  to  be  carefully  shunned. 
Behevers  are  diligently  to  inspect  their  own  tendencies 
and  lovingly  to  guard  those  of  the  brotherhood  lest 
any  fall  short  of  God's  grace ;  lest  something  arise  to 
embitter  and  pollute ;  "  lest  there  be  any  fornicator  or 
profane  person,  as  Esau,  who  for  one  morsel  of  meat 
sold  his  birthright."  It  is  the  Christian  household 
that  is  here  in  view,  and  tenderly  does  the  Spirit  urge 
to  watchfulness  and  circumspection.  Beginnings  of 
backsliding  are  to  be  feared  and  resisted.  Baneful 
elements  must  be  excluded,  else  the  infection  may 
spread  to  the  whole  community,  and  their  hoHness 
unto  the  Lord  be  forfeited.  To  arouse  earnest 
solicitude  in  this  behalf  Esau's  mournful  case  is  cited. 
He  is  called  "  profane,"  that  is,  a  man  devoted  to 
sensual  and  earthly  pursuits,  a  secular-minded  man,  to 
whom  a  single  meal  of  lentels  (Gen.  xxv  :  34),  was 
worth  far  more  than  the  birthright  which  embraced 
not  only  the  rights  of  primogeniture  but  the  bless- 
ings of  the  Abrahamic  covenant.  Afterwards  Esau 
bitterly  regretted  his  profane  act,  but  it  was  too  late. 
He  could  neither  undo  his  own  deed  nor  his  father's. 
The  covenant  privileges  which  he  so  shamefully  sold 
had  irrevocably  gone  from  him.  The  past  was  ir- 
reparable. <*  In  former  days  he  might  have  had  it 
without  tears  ;  afterwards  he  was  rejected  however 
sorely  he  wept.     Let  us  use  the  time  "  (Bengel). 

Thus  a  somewhat  wide  survey  of  the  epistle  leads  to 
the  conviction  that  one  chief  aim  of  it  is  to  furnish 
the  Hebrew  Christians  with  the  strongest  motives  to 
persevere  in  the  faith  and  to  hold  their  course  firm  and 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    HEBREWS  1 93 

steady  to  the  end.  Their  lot  was  difficult.  Their 
position  exposed  them  to  hardships  and  sufferings. 
Not  otherwise  is  it  with  believers  now.  Hindrances 
and  oppositions  confront  us  as  they  did  those  of  the 
apostolic  age.  But  all  this  is  not  accidental.  These 
things  are  paternal  chastisements,  and  a  proof  of  son- 
ship,  common  to  all  sons  (xii  :  /-lo),  even  to  the  Son 
of  God  Himself  (xii :  2).  The  writer  sets  before  them 
and  before  us  the  noble  worthies  of  former  days,  the 
great  cloud  of  witnesses  who  inherit  the  promises,  and 
he  bids  them  and  us  to  run  the  race  out  to  the 
glorious  goal  as  did  they.  Above  all,  he  sets  before 
us  the  supreme  example  of  Jesus,  "  who  for  the  joy 
that  was  set  before  Him  endured  the  cross,  despising 
the  shame,  and  is  set  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
throne  of  God." 

II.  Typical  character  of  the  Mosiac  Institutions. — 
This  is  a  prominent  feature  of  the  epistle.  It  may  be 
read  as  a  commentary  on  the  true  significance  of 
ancient  Judaism.  The  writer  constantly  finds  the 
germs  of  the  New  Testament  dispensation  in  the  rites 
of  Moses.  All  the  prominent  features  of  that  system 
are  graphically  reviewed,  and  at  his  touch  each  of 
them  becomes  instinct  with  life  and  glows  with  a  pro- 
found meaning.  The  thoughts  spring  from  the  heart 
of  the  Old  Testament.  The  language  is  largely  drawn 
from  thence.  The  imagery  is  taken  bodily  from  the 
tabernacle,  the  priesthood,  the  altar,  and  the  sacrifices 
of  Israel.  Remarkable  is  the  extent  to  w^hich  the 
writer  employs  the  older  Scriptures  in  the  conduct  of 
his  theme.     Four  times  he  quotes  from  Genesis,  three 


194       OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

times  each  from  Exodus  and  Deuteronomy  and  from 
ten  of  the  Psalms.  He  sometimes  uses  the  same 
quotation  more  than  once  that  his  argument  may  be 
strengthened  and  enforced,  e.  g.y  he  quotes  the  one 
hundred  and  tenth  Psalm  four  times,  the  second,  the 
fortieth,  and  the  ninty-fifth  twice  each.  He  also 
cites  from  2  Samuel,  Proverbs,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah, 
Hosea,  Habakkuk,  and  Haggai.  Some  thirty-eight 
times  are  the  words  of  the  Old  Testament  introduced 
to  confirm  his  doctrine,  to  illustrate  his  thoughts,  and  to 
enforce  his  exhortations.  Besides  these  distinct  quota- 
tions there  are  many  references  to  the  Old  Testament 
history  and  teaching,  as  e.  g.,  chap,  xi,  in  which  the 
names  of  the  heroes  of  faith  from  Abel  to  Samuel  are 
enrolled.  To  the  writer  of  Hebrews  the  Scriptures  of 
the  Old  Testament  are  not  merely  trustworthy  be- 
cause authentic ;  they  are  absolute  truth,  God's  truth, 
and  therefore  authoritative.  For  this  apostle,  whoever 
he  was,  the  word  of  Jehovah  is  in  all  things  final. 
Besides,  for  him  that  word  is  instinct  with  life,  filled 
even  with  the  breath  of  God,  and  therefore  it  is  living 
and  energetic,  and  sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword 
(iv:  12,  13).  The  word  of  God  is  identical  with  the 
divine  operations  it  describes  (vii :  18).  It  is  on  this 
infallible  word  that  the  epistle  rests.  It  takes  up  the 
Mosaic  ordinances  and  out  of  them  as  pre-ordained 
types  it  exhibits  the  glory  of  the  Messiah  and  His 
redemption.  The  parallelism  between  Judaism  and 
Christianity  as  here  traced  is  remarkable  both  as  to 
extent  and  internal  likeness.  Hebrews  is  a  standing 
protest  against  the  shallow  criticism   which  seeks  to 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    HEBREWS  1 95 

sunder  the  two  Testaments,  which  refuses  to  see 
Messianic  prophecies  in  the  Old,  that  brushes  aside 
all  typical  teaching  as  visionary  and  unwarranted, 
which  in  brief  empties  the  older  Scripture  of  all  its 
value  as  a  witness  for  Christ  and  His  Gospel. 

The  covenant  of  Sinai  whereby  the  Hebrew  people 
were  constituted  a  theocracy  was  but  the  harbinger  of 
the  new  covenant  (viii :  6-13).  The  provisions  of  the 
old  covenant  contemplated  mainly  the  possession  of 
the  earthly  inheritance  and  the  enjoyment  of  the 
divine  protection  and  favour,  so  long  as  the  chosen 
people  remained  obedient.  But  it  was  temporary 
and  preparatory.  The  new  covenant  rests  on  three 
"  better  "  things — a  better  ministry,  a  better  covenant 
(that  is,  better  in  its  terms  and  provisions),  and  better 
promises  (viii :  6).  The  old  could  boast  of  nothing 
more  than  the  symbol  of  the  divine  presence;  the 
new  pledges  the  abiding  indwelHng  of  the  Spirit  in 
God's  people  (viii  :  10- 12). 

The  Tabernacle  was  "  a  figure  for  the  time  then 
present,"  rather,  a  parable  (see  Greek) ;  an  acted  para- 
ble, an  outline  or  sketch  of  good  things  to  come,  not 
the  very  things  themselves.  But  Christ  is  "  a  minis- 
ter of  the  sanctuary,  and  of  the  true  tabernacle,  which 
the  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man  "  (viii :  2  ;  ix  :  24). 
The  wilderness  sanctuary  with  its  furniture  and  services 
was  no  more  than  a  shadow  of  the  true  and  the 
eternal. 

History  gives  Melchizedek  a  very  small  niche 
(Gen.  xiv  :  18-20;  Ps.  ex  :  4),  three  verses  in  the  rec- 
ord of  Genesis  and  one  in  that  oath  of  God  of  which 


196        OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

the  Psalmist  speaks.  Hebrews  vii  draws  out  at  length 
the  striking  parallelism  between  the  priesthood  of 
Melchizedek  and  of  Christ.  The  summing  up  of  the 
argument  is  in  verse  21  :  "  The  Lord  sware  and  will 
not  repent,  Thou  art  a  priest  forever  after  the  order  of 
Melchizedek."  Instantly  at  the  touch  of  this  verse 
Melchizedek  becomes  transparent,  and  a  greater  Priest 
is  seen  shining  through  him  ;  he  almost  disappears  in 
the  person  of  the  Messiah. 

The  high  priest  of  Israel  was  merely  an  emblem  of 
our  Great  High  Priest  (ii :  17  ;  iv  :  14,  15  ;  ix  :  11,  12). 

The  sacrifices  under  the  Mosaic  Law  were  only 
symbols  of  the  one  perfect  offering  of  the  Son  of  God 
(ix  :  24-28). 

The  rest  of  Canaan  was  but  a  figure  of  the  better 
rest,  the  true  Sabbath-keeping,  which  remains  for  the 
people  of  God  (iv  :  3,  9). 

The  earthly  Jerusalem  was  but  an  imperfect  image 
of  the  heavenly  city,  and  the  congregation  but  a  dim 
reflection  of  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the 
first-born  which  are  written  in  heaven  (xii :  18-23). 

In  short,  the  writer  finds  that  Jesus  Christ,  in  the 
dignity  of  His  person,  in  the  majesty  of  His  offices,  and 
in  the  perfection  of  His  redeeming  work  is  the  sub- 
stance of  Tabernacle  and  Temple,  of  altar,  victim,  and 
priest,  of  covenant  and  people.  According  to  this 
epistle  Judaism  as  a  system  was  a  Messianic  prophecy  ; 
it  was  a  kind  of  kindergarten  school  in  which  God  by 
a  splendid  series  of  object  lessons  taught  His  people  that 
in  due  time  One  would  appear  who  should  make  good 
every  promise  and  prophecy — the  Prophet  of  whom 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    HEBREWS  1 9/ 

Moses  was  but  a  faint  type  ;  the  Priest  of  whom  Aaron 
was  merely  a  shadow ;  the  Offering  of  which  those 
under  the  law  were  but  dim  and  distant  adumbra- 
tions. 

The  marvellous  correspondence  between  Judaism 
and  Christianity,  as  it  is  developed  in  this  epistle,  is 
neither  accidental  nor  fortuitous.  God  is  the  author 
of  both,  hence  the  vital  connection  between  them. 
But  Judaism  was  fashioned  to  prefigure  Christianity, 
not  Christianity  to  resemble  Judaism.  The  antitype 
is  not  constructed  to  correspond  with  the  type,  but  the 
type  is  constructed  to  bear  the  likeness  of  the  antitype. 
It  is  because  of  the  antitype  that  the  type  exists. 
Mosaism,  being  a  rough  draft  of  Christianity,  presup- 
posed its  existence.  Had  Judaism  been  an  end  in 
itself,  had  it  possessed  no  relation  to  Christianity,  it 
could  never  have  been  the  subject  of  apostolic  exposi- 
tion. But  the  New  Testament  writers  do  treat  it  as  a 
prophetic  system,  and  they  find  in  it  the  germs  of 
future  and  more  glorious  revelations  of  the  grace  of 
God.  Under  the  handling  of  the  inspired  writer  of 
our  epistle  "  shell  and  husk,  in  which  the  precious 
kernel  is  hidden,  fall  away  one  after  another  until  at 
length  the  kernel  itself,  the  Christ,  appears  personally  " 
(Herder).  Judaism  had  great  truths  lodged  in  it,  for 
it  was  from  God.  But  when  it  has  served  the  pur- 
poses for  which  it  was  given  it  disappears  to  give  place 
to  what  is  more  excellent  and  enduring. 

in.  The  epistle  presents  the  Christian  faith  as  per- 
fect and  final. — It  is  commonly  said  that  the  aim  of 
Hebrews  is,  to  demonstrate  the  superiority  of  Chris- 


198       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

tianity  to  Judaism.  The  statement  is  very  true.  But 
there  is  a  larger  view  which  includes  this,  and  much 
more.  It  is  this :  The  epistle  aims  to  prove,  and 
actually  does  prove,  that  the  new  covenant  established 
by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  perfect  and  therefore  final. 
There  is  in  it  neither  defect  nor  weakness ;  there  is  in 
it  nothing  of  decay  or  of  transitoriness ;  therefore,  it  is 
the  last  and  most  complete  expression  of  God's  love 
and  saving  power.  This  great  truth  is  worked  out  by 
the  apostle  by  a  series  of  magnificent  and  impressive 
contrasts  and  comparisons.  The  Mosaic  economy 
drew  a  vast  number  of  sketches  and  outlines  it  never 
filled  in  because  it  could  not.  It  left  them  incomplete, 
unfinished,  because  it  had  not  the  power  to  perfect 
them.  It  had  many  institutions  which  failed  to 
fulfill  their  own  manifest  aim.  It  made  many  prom- 
ises it  could  not  realize.  The  inherent  weakness  of 
the  system  is  summed  up  in  this  comprehensive  sen- 
tence:  "The  law  made  nothing  perfect"  (vii  :  19). 
On  the  other  hand,  whatever  Christ  touches  as  the 
Mediator  and  Surety  of  the  new  covenant,  He  perfects 
forever.  Hence  Christianity  with  its  supreme  revela- 
tions is  a  finality. 

Moreover,  Christianity  is  the  legitimate  and  divinely 
intended  result  of  Judaism.  It  is  its  flower,  its  crown. 
Judaism  is  like  the  root;  Christianity  is  the  tree 
sprung  from  the  root,  full-grown  and  laden  with  the 
richest  fruit.  This  could  not  have  been  had  not  that 
been.  As  the  New  Testament  rests  on  the  Old,  grows 
out  of  it  in  the  deepest  and  truest  sense,  so  Christ  who 
is  the  essence  and  the  heart  of  Christianity  is  the  per- 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    HEBREWS  1 99 

feet  realization  of  all  that  Judaism  taught  and  prom- 
ised. He  fills  in  every  incomplete  sketch  and  outline, 
He  perfects  what  it  pledged  but  could  never  give,  what 
its  ordinances  failed  to  do  He  achieves.  In  Christ 
priesthood  reaches  its  worthiest  ends,  its  absolute  per- 
fection. Christ's  is  the  perfect  offering.  Before  Him 
sacrifices  were  impotent  to  meet  the  needs  of  men,  and 
the  Divine  claims.  "  For  it  is  not  possible  that  the 
blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats  should  take  away  sins." 
"  But  this  man,  after  He  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for 
sins  forever,  sat  down  at  the  right  hand  of  God " 
(x :  4,  12).  After  Him  no  other  offering  need  be 
made,  nor  can  be  made.  By  Him  "  it  is  finished." 
Accordingly,  the  new  covenant  is  the  better,  even  the 
final  covenant,  because  it  rests  on  the  better  ministry 
and  the  better  promises  of  the  Mediator,  Jesus  Christ 
the  Son  of  God.  This,  it  is  believed,  is  the  very  core 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  And  this  appears  to  be 
the  transcendent  aim  the  apostle  had  before  him  as  he 
wrote. 

The  demonstration  of  this  central  truth  as  developed 
in  the  epistle  is  carried  on  by  a  series  of  contrasts  and 
comparisons,  as  already  noted.  It  will  appear  that  the 
apostle  deals  with  the  Mosaic  system  as  a  whole,  and 
that  his  treatment  covers  its  essential  elements,  and 
that  he  proves  beyond  peradventure  that  Christ  is  the 
perfect  and  hence  the  final  revelation  of  God  to  men. 
All  the  glories  of  our  Saviour  are  exhibited  in  the 
epistle.  Here  is  His  essential  glory,  that  which  was 
His  by  virtue  of  His  dignity  as  the  eternal  Son  of 
God,  Himself  God.     Here  hkewise  is  His  moral  glory, 


200       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

that,  namely,  which  He  displayed  during  His  earthly 
life  and  ministry,  the  perfections  which  marked  His 
entire  course  from  His  birth  to  His  death  on  the 
cross.  Here,  too,  are  His  official  glories,  those  which 
pertain  to  Him  as  the  Mediator,  and  as  He  is  now 
seated  at  the  right  hand  of  God  in  the  heavens,  the 
glorified  Son  of  Man.  All  these  glorious  beams  are 
caught  by  the  apostle  and  gleam  on  every  page  of 
this  Scripture.  Let  it  be  ours  so  to  open  our  minds 
that  some  of  the  resplendent  rays  may  enter  and  en- 
lighten. 

(a)  Comparison  between  the  prophets  and  the  Son 
as  to  revelation  (i  :  1-3), — In  various  parts  and  in 
many  forms  God  spoke  in  time  past  to  the  fathers  by 
the  prophets.  It  is  to  Israel  and  Israel's  prophets 
mainly  reference  is  made.  The  prophets  are  those 
who  served  God  in  the  work  of  revelation,  those  who 
spake  from  God  (2  Peter  i  :  21).  Theirs  was  a  genu- 
ine message  from  the  Lord,  the  real  Speaker  being  the 
Lord  alone.  But  in  the  end  of  the  days  He  hath 
spoken  to  us  by  His  Son.  The  Son  is  the  last  and  the 
greatest  messenger  of  God  to  men.  He  is  constituted 
Heir  of  all  things  ;  by  Him  the  time-worlds  were 
made ;  He  is  the  effulgence  of  the  Father's  glory,  and 
the  very  image  of  His  substance.  The  term  £'/ory 
is  not  the  external  radiance  or  halo  that  surrounds  the 
divine  nature,  it  is  that  nature  itself,  the  very  essence 
of  Deity.  Now,  Jesus  is  emphatically  declared  to  be 
the  outshining  splendour  of  that  glorious  Being,  the 
very  image  of  that  infinite  Substance.  No  more  pre- 
cise and  positive  language  could  be  employed  to  as- 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  201 

sert  the  Divinity  of  the  Son  and  His  equahty  with 
God  than  this.  Moreover,  He  made  purification  of 
sins,  put  them  away  forever  by  the  one  offering  of 
Himself  without  spot,  and  He  is  now  seated  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high,  as  the  fit  reward  of 
His  finished  work.  Besides,  through  all  time,  through 
all  eternity  He  sustains  the  organic  body  of  the  uni- 
verse; He  upholds  all  things  by  His  word  which  ex- 
presses and  conveys  His  almighty  power. 

By  reason  of  His  exalted  character,  and  because  of 
His  redemptive  work,  He  is  now  at  God's  right  hand 
where  no  created  being  ever  can  be  as  is  He.  Christ 
is  here  set  forth  in  three  stages  of  His  great  history ; 
preexistence ;  incarnation ;  exaltation.  In  His  per- 
son He  outranks  all  God's  human  messengers. 
Christ's  message  is  not  exactly  set  in  contrast  with  the 
messages  of  the  prophets,  but  is  rather  compared  with 
those,  and  the  inference  is  that  by  as  much  as  He 
is  the  superior  of  the  prophets,  by  as  much  as  He 
speaks  in  the  Messianic  times,  by  as  much  as  He  is  ex- 
alted to  the  throne  of  God,  by  so  much  is  He  the 
greatest  of  all  messengers  to  men,  and  the  last  to  be 
sent.  In  the  truest  and  the  highest  sense  He  is  the 
•'  seal  "  of  all  the  prophets. 

[b)  Contrast  between  Christ  and  angels  (i  :  4- 14). 
Seven  quotations  from  the  Old  Testament  are  found 
in  this  section.  Two  of  them  are  applied  to  angels, 
four  to  Messiah,  one  to  God  the  unchangeable.  But 
the  seven  demonstrate  the  infinite  superiority  of  Jesus 
our  Lord  to  angels,  and  they  link  Him  indissolubly 
with  Jehovah  Himself.     Since,  therefore,  Christ  is  the 


202       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

author  of  the  new  covenant  of  redemption,  since  He 
has  by  His  blood  brought  all  believers  into  saved  rela- 
tions with  God,  His  new  covenant  founded  on  His  per- 
fect work  is  final. 

(i)  There  is  contrast  between  the  name  and  the 
dignity  of  the  Lord  and  the  place  and  name  which 
angels  hold.  The  Son  is  better  than  angels,  i.  e.,  is 
more  exalted  in  dignity  and  honour,  because  He  has 
inherited  a  more  excellent  name  than  they.  The  con- 
trast shows  the  Son's  superiority  to  all  beings,  even 
the  highest,  especially  to  the  angels.  No  name,  how- 
ever resplendent,  even  of  the  mightiest  angel,  can  for 
a  moment  vie  with  His,  for  His  is  surrounded  with  un- 
approachable splendour.  Specifically,  the  more  excel- 
lent name  is  Son  : — "  Thou  art  My  Son,  this  day  have 
I  begotten  Thee."  The  quotation  is  from  the  second 
Psalm.  It  is  the  text  adduced  often  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament to  prove  Jesus'  Messiahship  (v :  5 ;  Acts 
xiii :  33).  Ps.  ex:  3  is  thus  translated  by  the  Septua- 
gint :  "  From  the  womb,  before  the  morning  star,  I 
have  begotten  Thee."  Those  ancient  scholars  seem  to 
have  understood  the  verse  as  pointing  back  to  a  date 
before  the  first  star  came  into  being,  as  absolutely 
timeless.  Paul  applies  the  words,  ••  Thou  art  My  Son, 
this  day  have  I  begotten  Thee,"  to  Christ's  resurrection 
from  the  dead  (Acts  xiii  :  33),  but  in  Romans  i  14,  he 
teaches  that  Christ's  Sonship  was  "  declared  "  by  His 
resurrection.  The  resurrection  of  the  Lord  was  indeed 
the  most  convincing  evidence  of  His  divine  Sonship, 
though  that  event,  vital  as  it  is,  did  not  constitute  Jesus 
God's  Son.     For  both  at  the  baptism  and  the  Trans- 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  20$ 

figuration,  the  Father's  voice  was  heard  in  attestation 
of  the  relation,  "  Thou  art  My  Son."  Christ's  Sonship 
is  dateless,  timeless.  In  this  supreme  relation  no 
angel  however  mighty  can  be  a  sharer.     "  To  which 

of  the  angels  ever  said  He ?  "     The  answer  must 

be  negative :  He  never  thus  addressed  an  angel.  (2) 
Contrast  between  Christ  and  angels  as  to  homage 
(i :  6,  7).  **  And  again,  when  He  bringeth  the  first  be- 
gotten into  the  world.  He  saith.  And  let  all  the  angels 
of  God  worship  Him."  The  Revision,  as  also  the 
margin  of  the  old  version,  is  certainly  right :  "  And 
when  again  He  bringeth  in  the  first-born  into  the 
world,"  etc.  "  Again "  does  not  introduce  another 
quotation  but  indicates  a  second  bringing  in,  the 
Lord's  second  advent.  The  quotation,  with  a  slight 
grammatical  change  is  from  the  ninety-seventh 
Psalm,  seventh  verse,  not  from  the  Septuagint 
addition  to  Deut.  xxxii:  43,  as  r.  v.  margin  reads.^ 
Angels  are  bidden  to  worship  the  Son.  They 
sang  their  midnight  song  of  joy  at  His  first 
advent,  they  will  adore  Him  as  supreme  as  will 
all  creation  when  He  shall  come  again  in  His  majesty 
and  glory.  As  worshippers  they  recognize  Christ's 
divine  sovereignty,  themselves  as  His  inferiors  and 
subjects.  Moreover,  angels  are  God's  servants,  agents 
who  do  His  bidding,  executors  of  His  wall :  "  And  of 


'  If  Bleek,  Farrar  and  others  are  right  in  holding  that  the  author  of 
Heb.  quotes  from  the  Alexandrian  Codex  of  the  Sept.,  v.  6  cannot  be 
taken  from  Deut.  xxxii :  43,  for  that  recension  reads  "  Sons  of  God  " 
instead  of  "  Angels  of  God."  It  is  thought  that  the  addition  in  Deut. 
was  taken  from  Ps.  xcvii :  7 — and  if  so,  it  is  originally  this  Psalm  that 
Hebrews  quotes. 


204       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

the  angels  He  saith,  Who  maketh  His  angels  spirits 
(winds),  and  His  ministers  a  flame  of  fire."  The  words 
are  quoted  from  Ps.  civ  :  4.  Angels  are  the  mighty 
and  intelligent  forces  by  whom  the  divine  purposes 
are  executed.  They  were  used  for  the  inauguration 
of  the  first  covenant  (ii :  2  ;  Acts  vii :  53  ;  Gal.  iii :  19). 
And  they  were  concerned  in  Israel's  life  and  history 
as  the  chosen  people,  as  the  Old  Testament  attests. 
Like  the  two  great  natural  forces  of  wind  and  fire 
angels  interpose  in  human  affairs  and  carry  the  Lord's 
purposes  into  effect.  But  no  such  language  as  this  is 
employed  of  the  Son  of  God.  God  doth  not  make 
Him  anything,  He  says — "  Thy  throne,  O  God." — 
Angels  are  merely  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  do 
service  to  the  heirs  of  salvation  (v.  14.)  (3)  Contrast 
between  Christ  and  angels  as  to  Rulership.  "  Thy 
throne,  O  God,  is  forever  and  ever;  a  sceptre 
of  righteousness  is  the  sceptre  of  Thy  kingdom " 
(vs.  8,  9).  The  throne  is  eternal.  He  who  sits 
on  it  receives  the  divine  title,  God.  And  here,  God 
anoints  God  with  the  oil  of  gladness.  Manifestly  the 
Occupant  of  this  exalted  throne  is  the  Lord  Jesus,  the 
Anointed  ;  it  is  He  who  sways  a  sceptre  of  universal 
dominion.  Angels  have  no  such  seat  of  supreme  au- 
thority, they  are  only  messengers,  servants,  creatures  ; 
this  Sovereign  is  God.  To  no  one  of  the  angels  did 
God  ever  say,  "  Sit  thou  on  My  right  hand,  until  I 
make  thine  enemies  the  footstool  of  thy  feet"  (Ps. 
ex  :  i).  This  same  passage  is  cited  by  the  Saviour  in 
its  Messianic  sense  (Matt,  xxii :  41-44  ;  by  Peter,  Acts 
ii :  34 ;  by  Paul,  i  Cor.  xv  :  25).     In  all  these  passages 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE    HEBREWS  20$ 

this  great  gift  of  power  is  made  by  the  Father  to  the 
Son,  and  it  is  the  Son's  investiture  of  universal  and  un- 
challenged rule  over  all  creatures  and  all  their  actions. 
No  angel,  however  puissant  and  glorious,  has  such 
authority,  or  ever  will  have.  It  is  the  Son  alone  who 
fills  this  august  seat  of  power.  Once  more,  we  are  ex- 
pressly told  that  Jesus  alone  rules  in  the  Messianic 
age  :  •*  For  unto  the  angels  hath  He  not  put  in  subjec- 
tion the  world  to  come,  whereof  we  speak"  (ii :  5). 
Here  is  a  double  contrast,  viz.,  this  world,  and  the 
future  world ;  angels  and  Christ.  The  present  world 
or  more  properly,  the  present  age,  is  that  in  which 
angels  had  much  to  do.  The  intimation  is,  that  it  was 
under  their  management,  as  God's  agents.  And  that 
is  true  of  the  Mosaic  economy.  But  the  age  to 
come  is  the  Messianic  age,  which  will  be  directly 
under  the  rulership  of  Christ,  when  "  all  things  shall 
be  put  under  His  feet."  That  age  is,  partly  present, 
and  partly  future.  The  undisputed  sway  of  Jesus  will 
be  only  when  He  comes  again  and  takes  unto  Himself 
His  great  power  and  reigns  in  righteousness  over  the 
whole  world.  So  that  the  doctrine  is  that  Christ  now 
in  heaven  is  on  the  eternal  throne  with  the  Father, 
and  that  He  is  to  rule  in  undisturbed  power  in  the  age 
to  come.  In  both  senses,  angels  hold  an  immeasura- 
bly lower  place,  are  themselves  servants  and  subjects 
of  His.  They  are  not  enthroned,  and  they  will  not 
rule  in  the  Messianic  age  when  Christ  becomes  all  and 
in  all. 

{c)     Contrast  between  Christ  and  Moses  (iii :   i-6). 
The  contrast  here  respects  the  position  or  rank  of 


206       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

Moses  and  the  Lord  Jesus  respectively.  Both  alike 
have  to  do  with  "  the  house  of  God."  By  "  house  "  is 
meant  an  order  or  economy  estabhshed  of  God  and 
including  God's  people.  The  expression, "  His  house," 
twice  used  in  the  section  (vs.  2,  5),  does  not  mean 
Moses'  house,  for  the  words  are  cited  from  Num. 
xii :  7 — ''  My  servant  Moses  .  .  .  who  is  faithful 
in  all  mine  house."  It  is  God's  house.  There  is  a 
measure  of  resemblance  noted  between  the  two  here 
contrasted,  that,  viz.,  of  faithfulness.  This  character- 
ized each  of  them.  Moses  was  indeed  faithful  in  God's 
house.  His  whole  history  illustrates  his  fidelity,  save 
perhaps  the  one  instance  when  he  forgot  his  place  in 
"  the  house,"  and  acted  in  such  fashion  as  to  forfeit 
entrance  into  Canaan  (Num.  xx).  But  that  is  not  re- 
membered in  this  Scripture ;  his  devotion  alone  is. 
Likewise,  Christ  was  faithful  to  Him  that  appointed 
Him  to  His  position  in  the  "  house."  The  vast  differ- 
ence and  distance  between  the  two  lies  in  their  rank. 
Moses  was  a  servant  in  God's  house,  Christ  is  a  Son. 
The  word  for  servant  is  not  that  which  the  margin  of 
the  Revision  commonly  gives  as  "  bond-servant,"  but 
is  one  that  denotes  a  nobler  and  more  intimate  service, 
such  as  a  freeman  renders.  Moses  was  such  a  servant, 
loved  and  honoured  of  his  Master,  nevertheless,  he  was 
a  servant,  and  nothing  more.  Now  a  servant  has  no 
natural  rights  in  the  house.  He  cannot  command,  his 
place  is  to  obey  the  orders  of  his  master.  The  son 
has  these  rights.  The  servant  may  not  be  the  pos- 
sessor of  a  single  article  in  the  house,  but  the  son  is 
the  heir,  and  all  things  belong  to  him  by  a  natural 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  20/ 

right.  The  servant  may  have  no  kinship  with  the 
house,  he  may  belong  to  another  race,  his  origin  be  of 
a  foreign  family,  of  alien  blood.  But  the  son  is  the 
same  with  the  father  in  blood,  in  nature,  dignity,  and 
name.  It  is  nature  and  rank  which  marks  the  im- 
mense distance  that  separates  our  Saviour  and  Moses. 
Jesus  is  the  Son  "  over  His  own  house."  He  built  the 
house,  both  that  in  which  Moses  served,  and  that  in 
which  He  Himself  acts  as  the  great  High  Priest.  He 
is  the  Heir ;  He  rules,  orders,  supersedes,  modifies,  as 
it  pleases  Him.  Moses'  service  might  have  been 
vastly  more  successful,  his  usefulness  might  have  been 
doubled,  his  years  protracted  to  centuries,  yet,  with  all 
this,  he  would  have  ever  remained  a  servant  in  God's 
house,  he  never  could  have  risen  to  the  rank  of  the 
Son.  By  as  much  as  the  Son  and  Heir  transcends  in 
nature  and  name  the  servant,  by  as  much  as  the 
Builder  of  the  house  hath  more  honour  than  the  house, 
by  so  much  does  Jesus  the  Son  of  God  exceed  Moses 
in  power  and  glory.  To  Him  "  the  house "  and  all 
pertaining  to  it,  even  Moses  himself,  belongs.  There- 
fore, as  the  Builder  and  Master  of  the  house  of  God, 
Jesus  inaugurates  the  new  covenant,  which  is  perfect 
and  final,  thereby  setting  aside  the  old.  Accordingly, 
Christians  are  bidden  "  consider  the  Apostle  and  High 
Priest  of  our  profession,  Jesus  who  was  faithful  to  Him 
that  appointed  Him  "  (iii :  1,2).  Bengel  with  his  deep 
insight  into  Scripture  says  :  As  apostle,  Jesus  pleads 
the  cause  of  God  with  us  ;  as  High  Priest,  He  pleads 
our  cause  with  God.  The  two  functions  are  bound  up 
in  the  great  office  of  Mediator.     Christ  combines  in 


208        OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

Himself  the  two  offices  of  Moses  and  Aaron,  and  both 
in  Him  are  made  perfect.  •'  Wherefore  .  .  .  con- 
sider Him." 

(d)  Contrast  between  Christ  and  Aaron  as  to  priest- 
hood.— A  few  brief  observations  preliminary  to  this 
prime  feature  of  Hebrews  may  not  be  inappropriate. 
Priesthood  is  a  real  office,  embracing  very  specific 
duties  and  functions.  The  office  belongs  to  the  realm 
of  grace,  presupposing,  as  it  does,  sin  and  the  divine 
purpose  to  remove  it.  The  two  great  priests  of  the 
Old  Testament  were  Melchizedek  and  Aaron.  No 
others  that  ever  bore  the  name  rank  with  them,  ex- 
cept, of  course,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  of  the  two 
Melchizedek  is  the  greater.  There  are  two  reasons 
why  these  are  to  be  considered  the  chiefs  :  First,  be- 
cause they  are  the  first  in  their  respective  orders. 
Melchizedek  was  not  only  the  head  of  his  priestly 
order,  but  he  had  no  successor.  It  began  and  termi- 
nated with  him  (vii :  3).  The  Levites  and  common 
priests,  Aaron's  sons,  depended  for  their  official  exist- 
ence on  Aaron.  Apart  from  him  they  could  have  no 
official  character.  Second,  because  the  priesthood  of 
Christ  is  typified  by  both.  The  priestly  office  in  both 
these  heads  of  priestly  orders  is  summed  up  and  com- 
pleted in  Him.  In  fact,  it  was  in  virtue  of  Christ's 
priesthood  that  Melchizedek  and  Aaron  were  inducted 
into  the  office.  They  were  called  and  consecrated  in 
order  to  be  types,  adumbrations  of  Him  in  whom  the 
priesthood  has  its  source,  its  perfection,  and  its  perma- 
nence. The  priesthood  of  these  two  men  is  combined 
and  completed  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  according  to  He- 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  209 

brews.  For  while  Christ  is  of  the  order  of  Melchize- 
dek,  He  exercises  the  office  after  the  pattern  of  Aaron. 
This  is  the  key  to  the  teaching  of  the  epistle  on  this 
subject,  and  to  ignore  the  latter  feature  is  to  do  injus- 
tice to  this  Scripture,  and  to  give  but  a  partial  exposi- 
tion of  its  comprehensive  argument.  If  we  confine 
Christ's  priestly  functions  to  the  Melchizedek  type 
alone,  we  deprive  His  sacrificial  death  of  priestly  char- 
acter altogether.  But  the  epistle  undoubtedly  views  it 
as  priestly  action.  The  term  *•  offer,"  in  connection 
with  His  death,  certainly  includes  both  ideas  of  victim 
and  priest.  In  offering  Himself  for  the  sins  of  His 
people  Christ  fulfilled  the  type  of  Aaron,  and  in  con- 
tinuing His  priestly  work  in  the  heavenly  sanctuary, 
He  is  the  Melchizedek  priest.  So  that,  the  conclusion 
seems  legitimate  that  in  one  aspect  of  His  work  He 
accomplished  the  Aaronic  type,  and  in  another  He 
fulfilled  that  of  Melchizedek.  Accordingly,  He  was  a 
true  Priest  in  His  sacrificial  death,  and  He  is  no  less  a 
true  Priest  in  heaven.  But  what  does  priesthood  in- 
volve ?  What  are  its  duties  and  functions  ?  Several 
important  elements  enter  into  it,  some  of  which  are 
here  mentioned. 

(i)  Priesthood  implies  choice. — Not  only  is  the 
office  of  divine  institution,  but  the  priest  himself  is 
selected  and  appointed  of  God.  "  For  every  high 
priest,  being  taken  from  among  men,  is  appointed  for 
men  in  things  pertaining  to  God.  .  .  .  And  no 
man  taketh  this  honour  unto  himself,  but  when  he  is 
called  of  God,  as  was  Aaron"  (v:  i,  4).  The  priest 
was   not  chosen  or  elected  by  the  people,  much  less 


2IO       OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

was  he  self-appointed.  Divine  selection  severed  him 
from  those  in  whose  behalf  he  was  to  act.  "  So  Christ 
also  glorified  not  Himself  to  be  made  a  high  priest, 
but  He  that  spake  unto  Him,  Thou  art  My  Son,  this 
day  have  I  begotten  Thee  "  (v :  5).  Our  great  Priest 
came  not  into  the  world  unsent.  He  received  His 
commission  from  God,  the  fountain  of  all  sovereignty. 
He  came  into  the  world  bearing  heavenly  credentials ; 
•'  He  hath  anointed  Me  ...  He  hath  sent  Me  " 
(Luke  iv  :  18),  He  announced  at  the  opening  of  His 
ministry. 

(2)  Priesthood  implies  representation. — "  The  high 
priest  represented  the  whole  people.  All  Israelites 
were  reckoned  as  being  in  him  "  (Vitringa).  The 
priest's  representative  character  appears,  (i)  from  his 
bearing  the  tribal  names  upon  his  shoulders  and  over 
his  heart ;  (2)  his  committing  heinous  sin  involved  the 
people  in  his  guilt :  "  If  the  anointed  priest  shall  sin 
so  as  to  bring  guilt  on  the  people  "  (Lev.  iv :  3,  r.  v. 
The  Septuagint  reads,  "  to  make  the  people  sin "). 
The  anointed  priest  was  the  high  priest.  When  he 
sinned,  the  people  sinned.  His  official  action  was 
reckoned  their  action.  The  whole  nation  was  involved 
in  the  transgression  of  their  representative.  The 
converse  appears  to  be  just  as  true.  When  he  did 
officially  what  was  right  before  the  Lord,  the  Con- 
gregation of  Israel  was  reckoned  as  having  done 
the  same.  Such  was  the  deep  significance  of  the 
transactions  on  the  Day  of  Atonement  (Lev.  xvi).  It 
was  for  the  Congregation  as  a  corporate  body  that 
Aaron  carried  the  blood  of  the  sin-offering  into  the 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE   HEBREWS  211 

Most  Holy  Place  and  sprinkled  it  seven  times  on  and 
before  the  mercy-seat.  It  was  the  nation's  sins  he 
symbolically  put  upon  the  head  of  the  scapegoat 
which  bore  them  away  into  a  land  of  forgetfulness. 
Heb.  v:  i,  "  Every  high  priest  ...  is  ordained 
for  men,"  i.  e.,  for  their  benefit,  in  their  behalf.  He 
acts  for  them  and  in  their  interest. 

(3)  Priesthood  implies  the  offering  of  sacrifice. — 
This  was  the  chief  function  of  the  priest,  "  to  offer 
both  gifts  and  sacrifices  for  sins"  (v :  i).  He  would 
be  no  priest  who  should  have  nothing  to  offer.  With- 
out a  sacrifice,  he  would  be  like  a  king  without  a 
kingdom,  or  a  prophet  without  a  message  or  a  mis- 
sion. His  offerings  have  respect  unto  God.  He  is 
"  ordained  for  men  in  things  pertaining  to  God." 
God  is  the  object  of  his  sacrifice.  He  seeks  thereby 
to  propitiate  Him,  to  meet  His  claims,  to  satisfy  His 
justice  and  holiness. 

(4)  Priesthood  implies  intercession.- — Intercession  is 
grounded  on  atonement.  There  can  be  no  effective 
advocacy  on  behalf  of  the  guilty  until  provision  is 
made  for  the  removal  of  the  guilt  and  for  the  pardon 
of  the  sinner.  In  the  priestly  service  of  Israel  the 
sprinkhng  of  the  blood  of  the  sin-offering  on  the 
mercy-seat  served  to  cover  the  guilt  of  the  people 
from  the  face  of  God,  and  at  the  same  time  it  was  an 
appeal  to  Him  to  forgive  and  bless  His  people  accord- 
ing to  the  covenant  promise.  So  we  read  that  after 
Aaron  had  thus  sprinkled  the  blood  of  propitiation  he 
came  forth  from  the  sanctuary  to  bless  Israel  (Lev. 
ix:  22-24;  cf.  Num.  vi :  22-27;   I   Chron.  xxiii :  13; 


212       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

Deut.  xxi :  5).  Aaron  lifted  up  his  hands,  "  the  very 
hands  that  had  been  wet  with  blood,  and  blessed  the 
people.  It  was  as  if  he  was  pouring  over  them  all 
the  grace  and  peace  that  flow  from  the  blood  of 
Jesus"  (Bonar).  The  Scriptures  expressly  combine 
Christ's  intercession  and  His  sacrificial  death  (i  John 
ii :  1 ,  2).  In  Heb.  ix :  24,  He  is  said  to  appear  before 
the  face  of  God  for  us  (see  Greek).  He  presents  Him- 
self before  God  as  our  representative.  All  that  the 
Son  of  God  incarnate  is,  and  all  that  He  did  on  earth, 
He  is  and  did  for  His  people;  so  that  the  infinite 
dignity  of  His  person  and  the  value  of  His  perfect 
redemptive  work  combine  and  unite  in  His  effective 
intercession.  These  are  some  of  the  elements  of  the 
priestly  office.  We  are  now  to  study  the  contrast  and 
the  comparison  of  Christ's  priesthood  with  the 
Aaronic. 

I .  Difference  of  order. — Israel's  high  priest  must  be 
of  Aaron's  order.  Christ  as  Priest  is  of  the  order  of 
Melchizedek  (vi :  20).  Chap,  vii :  1-3  gives  some  in- 
formation of  this  great  priest.  Gen.  xiv  :  18-20  and 
Ps.  ex :  4  contain  all  that  the  Old  Testament  records 
of  him.  We  are  told  that  he  was  king  of  Salem 
(perhaps  Jerusalem),  and  priest  of  the  Most  High 
God.  Then  the  apostle  goes  on  to  interpret  the  sig- 
nificance of  his  name  and  the  silence  of  the  record  as 
to  his  family,  genealogy,  and  priestly  character. 
There  has  been  much  conjecture  who  Melchizedek 
was,  all  of  which  is  worthless,  because  it  is  all  mere 
idle  speculation.  He  has  been  identified  with  Shem, 
with  Enoch,  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  with  Christ 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  21  3 

Himself  in  His  pre-incarnate  state.  He  was  none  of 
these.  Let  it  suffice  to  say  that  his  rank  was  of  the 
highest,  for  he  combined  in  himself  the  greatest  offices 
found  among  men.  He  was  a  king  whose  rule  was 
just,  even  as  he  was  personally  righteous.  His  king- 
dom was  distinguished  for  righteousness  and  as  a  con- 
sequence peace  was  both  promoted  and  established. 
He  was  priest  of  God  Most  High.  He  held  thus  a 
double  office,  royal  sovereignty  and  a  divinely  recog- 
nized priesthood.  Besides,  he  stood  alone  in  these 
high  dignities :  "  Without  father,  without  mother, 
without  descent,  having  neither  beginning  of  days 
nor  end  of  life."  All  this  surprising  language  must  be 
understood  in  relation  to  Melchizedek's  royal  priest- 
hood. In  his  priestly  office  he  was  without  pred- 
ecessor and  without  successor.  In  the  priesthood  of 
Israel  everything  depended  on  the  register  of  descent. 
The  Hebrew  priest  must  have  a  clear  and  clean  genea- 
logical record.  He  whose  genealogy  was  uncertain  or 
defective,  whose  lineage  was  not  pure,  was  barred 
(Ezra  ii :  6i,  62 ;  Neh.  vii :  63,  64).  But  Melchizedek's 
priesthood  depends  on  no  tables  of  descent.  His 
priesthood,  in  so  far  as  the  history  goes,  began  and 
ended  in  himself.  He  stands  absolutely  alone  in  the 
office,  and  we  think  of  him  and  know  him  only  as  a 
priest,  always  a  priest.  Hence  the  apostle  says,  he 
"  abideth  a  priest  continually."  "  Like  a  portrait  he 
is  always  the  same ;  he  follows  us  about  with  his  eyes, 
a  king  and  a  priest,  always  alone,  with  no  ancestry  of 
priesthood  before  him,  and  none  succeeding  to  his 
priesthood    after    him,   always    Hving — so    Scripture 


214       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

shows  him,  and  so  continually  in  its  pages  we  behold 
him  "  (Davidson).  Therefore  he  is  "  made  like  unto 
the  Son  of  God."  He  is  a  fitting  type  of  our  Great 
High  Priest,  Jesus  Christ ;  he  is  indeed  the  one  pre- 
eminent Old  Testament  priestly  type,  outranking  all 
others  that  held  the  office: — (i)  because  Melchizedek 
was  a  royal  priest ;  and  Christ  likewise  is  the  divine 
Priest-King ;  (2)  because  he  stands  alone  in  his  office  j 
and  Christ  also  is  the  sole  occupant  of  His  priestly 
dignities,   without   predecessor   or   successor  therein ; 

(3)  because  he  abideth  a  priest  continually.  Eternity 
casts  its  shadow  over  Melchizedek.  In  the  Genesis 
record  and  in  the  one  hundred  and  tenth  Psalm  he 
ever  remains  a  priest  of  God  Most  High.  None 
knows  whence  he  came,  who  he  was,  where  or  when 
he  was  born,  where  or  when  he  died.  As  priest  he 
hath  "  neither  beginning  of  days  nor  end  of  Hfe." 
So  likewise  Christ's  great  Priesthood  is  eternal,  for 
it  is  bound  up  with  His  person  as  the  Son  of  God 
who  is  described  in  Isa.  ix  :  6  as  "  Father  of  eternity  "  ; 

(4)  because  he  is  a  universal  priest.  He  blessed  Abra- 
ham, father  and  founder  of  the  Hebrew  race;  he 
blessed  no  doubt  also  his  own  people.  He  was  priest 
both  to  Jew  and  Gentile,  as  Hkewise  is  our  Priest, 
Jesus  Christ.  Christ  is  of  Melchizedek's  "  order  "  ;  a 
priest  after  this  pattern  or  manner.  He  is  not  after 
the  order  of  Aaron,  for  in  such  case  He  could  be 
Priest  only  to  the  Hebrew  people,  as  Aaron  was. 
But  now  being  of  the  order  of  Melchizedek  He  holds 
a  higher  and  nobler  priesthood  because  it  is  universal, 
perfect,  and  efficient. 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE    HEBREWS  21 5 

2.  Superiority  of  Melchizedek  to  Abraham. — His 
greatness  and  superiority  appears  in  two  significant 
actions :  first,  he  received  tithes  of  Abraham ;  the 
patriarch  gave  him  the  tenth  of  the  spoils  (v.  4).  The 
word  used  for  "  tenth  of  the  spoils "  is  significant ; 
'•  chief  spoils,"  the  top  of  the  heap,  the  cream,  as  we 
say.  It  was  the  very  best  of  all  that  Abraham  gave. 
Second,  Melchizedek  in  turn  gave  to  the  patriarch  his 
priestly  benediction.  "  And  without  all  contradiction 
the  less  is  blessed  of  the  better."  This  does  not  mean 
that  Melchizedek  was  a  better  man  than  Abraham  as 
to  character  or  conduct,  but  that  as  priest  standing  for 
God  and  acting  as  by  His  behest  he  gave  him  the 
blessing.  Thus,  Abraham  to  whom  were  given  the 
promises,  whom  such  a  halo  of  glory  surrounds,  the 
head  and  fount  of  Israel,  the  heir  of  the  world 
(Rom.  iv  :  1 3),  the  friend  of  God,  recognizes  Melchize- 
dek's  superior  claims  and  his  own  inferiority. 

3.  Melchizedek's  superiority  to  the  Levitical  priests 
(vs.  5-10). — This  appears  from  two  important  facts  : 
(a)  Levi  virtually  paid  tithes  to  this  priest  of  God 
Most  High  when  Abraham  his  progenitor  gave  him 
the  tenth  of  the  chief  spoils.  Accordingly,  Levi  to 
whom  tithes  are  due  by  law  himself  paid  them  to 
Melchizedek :  hence  his  inferiority  in  the  priestly 
realm  is  rightfully  inferred,  (d)  The  Levitical  priests 
are  mortal ;  they  die.  But  it  is  witnessed  that  Melchiz- 
edek lives ;  his  priesthood  inheres  in  a  personality 
that  never  dies,  whether  in  his  own  unique  history  or 
in  Christ  of  whom  he  was  an  illustrious  type.  Besides, 
neither  he  nor  his  antitype  Christ  received  the  priest- 


2l6        OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

hood  by  law  or  by  succession,  but  solely  by  the 
appointment  of  God.  Hence  the  immeasurable  su- 
periority of  this  priesthood  over  that  of  the  Levitical 
order. 

4.  Displacement  of  the  Levitical  priesthood  by  the 
Melchizedek  priesthood  of  Christ  (vs.  11-19). — The 
central  truth  in  this  section  seems  to  be  this  :  The  in- 
ability of  the  Levitical  priesthood  and  all  connected 
with  it  to  meet  the  claims  of  God  and  human  needs. 
That  priestly  ministry  lay  at  the  base  of  the  whole 
Mosaic  system.  The  law  depended  on  it  for  its  ex- 
ecution, even  for  its  existence.  If  "  perfection,"  i.  e., 
reconciliation  of  sinful  men  with  God,  had  been 
achieved  by  the  law  as  administered  by  Israel's 
priests,  then  no  change  would  have  been  either  re- 
quired or  needed.  The  Aaronic  ministry  would  have 
lasted  while  sun  and  moon  endure.  But  a  complete 
change  has  been  made  both  as  to  priesthood  and  the 
law  imposed  upon  it,  and  this  because  the  one  was 
carnal,  fleshly,  and  the  other  weak  and  unprofitable. 
Neither  of  these  could  bring  peace  with  God,  peace  of 
conscience,  nor  hoHness  of  heart.  Therefore,  the 
Levitical  priesthood  and  the  legal  constitution  resting 
upon  it  have  been  set  aside,  and  in  their  place  there 
has  been  introduced  and  established  the  Melchizedek 
priesthood  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  God 
Himself  has  borne  witness,  "  Thou  art  a  priest  forever 
after  the  order  of  Melchizedek,"  and  who  is  made,  not 
after  the  law  of  a  carnal  commandment,  as  were  Aaron 
and  his  successors,  but  after  the  power  of  an  indissolu- 
ble life.     The  demonstration  is  complete,  final.     The 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    HEBREWS  21/ 

dying  priests  of  Aaron's  order  must  give  place  to  a  no- 
bler priest,  an  undying  Mediator,  the  Lord  Christ  who 
alone  has  the  right  to  say  to  His  people  as  He  said  to 
His  servant  John  in  Patmos,  "  Fear  not ;  I  am  the  first 
and  the  last  and  the  Living  One  ;  and  I  was  dead,  and 
behold,  I  am  alive  for  evermore,  and  I  have  the  keys 
of  death  and  of  Hades  "  (Rev.  i :  17,  18).  Christ  can 
have  no  successor  as  priest ;  He  "  ever  liveth." 

5.  The  Melchizedek  priesthood  rests  on  the  oath 
of  God  (vs.  2Q-22). — The  Aaronic  priests  in  no  case 
were  inducted  into  the  high  office  with  an  oath : 
Jesus  Christ  was.  This  is  full  of  meaning.  When 
Jehovah  accompanies  His  word  or  His  act  by  His  own 
solemn  oath  we  may  well  rest  assured  that  infinite 
value  attaches  thereto,  that  eternity  is  bound  up  with 
that  to  which  He  swears,  that  it  must  abide  unchal- 
lenged and  unchangeable  forever.  This  is  true  touch- 
ing Christ's  priesthood  ;  eternity  is  stamped  upon  it, 
and  the  covenant  which  rests  upon  His  priesthood  is 
also  eternal  (xiii :  20).  The  want  of  the  oath  in  the 
case  of  the  Levitical  priesthood  indicates  its  temporary 
and  provisional  character.  But  let  it  be  noted  also 
that  the  priesthood  and  covenant  correspond.  Jesus 
as  High  Priest  inducted  into  His  office  by  the  Divine 
oath,  becomes  the  surety  of  the  covenant.  He  is  its 
guarantor  and  upholder.  Not  one  provision  or  prom- 
ise or  blessing  contained  in  it  will  fail.  He  will  make 
forever  good  its  whole  content  to  His  people.  He 
stands  pledged  so  to  do,  for  He  is  our  Surety ;  His 
glorious  endorsement  stands  written  over  all  the  terms 
of  the  "  better  covenant,"  and  He,  Maker  of  the  worlds 


21 8        OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

and  the  ages,  God's  own  glorious  High  Priest,  cannot 
fail. 

6.  Christ  the  Great  High  Priest  secures  perfect  sal- 
vation (vs.  23-25). — These  verses  describe  His  power 
to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  who  draw  near  to  God 
through  Him.  And  this  for  two  reasons :  (^)  unlike 
the  Aaronic  priests  whom  death  triumphed  over,  He 
abides  forever ;  (J?)  He  ever  lives  to  intercede  for  His 
people.  Through  His  intercession  they  are  kept  when 
tempted,  enabled  to  hold  fast  the  confession  of  their 
faith,  to  endure,  and  even  to  rejoice  in  manifold  suffer- 
ings. Blessed  it  is  beyond  the  power  to  express  that 
the  gracious  One,  now  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
heavenly  Majesty,  thinks  of  His  struggling  people  on 
earth  and  runs  to  their  help  by  His  all-prevailing  in- 
tercession. In  the  term  translated  "  uttermost "  there 
is  a  wealth  of  meaning  and  assurance  difficult  to  ex- 
press :  completely,  perfectly,  out  and  out,  unto  finahty, 
it  might  be  rendered.  And  so  Paul  could  fling  abroad 
his  mighty  challenge  :  "  Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the 
charge  of  God's  elect  ?  .  .  .  Who  is  he  that  con- 
demneth  ?  It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea  rather,  that  is 
risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who 
also  maketh  intercession  for  us  "  (Rom.  viii :  33,  34). 

7.  Summary  of  Christ's  priestly  perfections  (vs. 
26-28). — These  are  exhibited  in  three  distinguishing 
marks:  (i)  in  His  fitness  for  the  office  (v.  26):  "  For 
such  a  high  priest  became  us,  holy,  harmless  (guile- 
less), undefiled,  separated  from  sinners,  and  made 
higher  than  the  heavens."  Holy  in  His  relations  with 
God ;  harmless,  guileless  in  His  relations  with  men ; 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  219 

undefiled  in  His  personal  and  official  character ;  sepa- 
rated from  sinners  and  from  sin  both  in  His  earthly- 
life  and  now  in  His  heavenly  existence  where  He  con- 
tinues to  exercise  His  priestly  functions.  Such  a 
High  Priest  it  is  becoming  we  sinners  should  have, 
One  who  though  He  was  descended  from  an  impure 
race  of  ancestors  brought  no  stain  of  sin  into  the  world 
with  Him ;  though  He  long  conversed  with  sinners 
and  grappled  with  fierce  temptations,  yet  received  no 
taint;  He  was  undefiled  and  undefilable.  (2)  The 
ministry  of  such  a  Priest  transcends  that  of  the  Levit- 
ical  order  (v.  27).  Daily  Israel's  priests  must  offer  sac- 
rifices for  sins,  for  their  own  and  for  their  fellows'. 
But  Jesus  made  one  offering,  complete  and  perfect  in 
itself  forever,  when  He  gave  Himself  for  us.  (3)  In 
His  Person  He  transcends  the  Aaronic  priesthood 
(v.  28).  They  had  infirmity,  died  one  by  one  through 
the  generations.  Christ  lives,  is  accepted  and  ap- 
proved of  God,  for  He  acts  by  virtue  of  the  almighty 
Oath ;  He  is  the  Son  of  God ;  He  is  perfected  for 
evermore. 

Thus  the  apostle  has  demonstrated  the  absolute 
truthfulness  of  his  thesis,  viz.,  the  infinite  perfection  of 
Christ's  priesthood. 

{e)  Contrast  between  the  Old  Covenant  and  the 
New  (viii:i-i3). — The  writer  introduces  this  fresh 
contrast  by  fixing  the  attention  of  the  reader  on  the 
chief  point  of  the  discussion,  viz.,  the  High  Priesthood 
of  Christ ;  His  place  of  ministry,  the  heavenly  sanc- 
tuary ;  the  finality  of  His  offering,  for  He  "  sat  down 
on  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  the  Majesty  in  the 


220       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

heavens  "  ;  the  character  of  His  ministry  appears  in  the 
better  covenant  which  He  makes  (vs.  i-5).  These 
verses  are  not  a  summary  of  the  preceding  discussion ; 
they  are  introductory  to  what  follows. 

A  covenant  is  commonly  defined  to  be  an  agree- 
ment between  two  parties  who  bind  themselves  by 
certain  conditions  with  a  view  of  attaining  some 
object.  The  Scriptures  make  mention  of  covenants 
between  men,  e.  g.,  that  of  Abraham  and  Abimelech 
(Gen.  xxi :  32),  and  that  of  Joshua  and  the  Gibeonites 
(Josh,  ix) ;  between  God  and  men,  e.  g.,  God  and 
Noah  (Gen.  ix :  8-17);  God  and  Abraham  (Gen.  xvii). 
Where  a  covenant  is  made  between  God  and  men 
God  always  imposes  the  conditions  and  He  institutes 
the  agreement ;  men  have  nothing  to  do  with  either 
its  proposal  or  its  conditions.  "  A  covenant  between 
God  and  men  cannot  possibly  have  any  other  mean- 
ing than  that  He  will  be  their  God  and  they  His 
People"  (viii  :  10).  In  the  Greek  language  the  term 
for  covenant  has  sometimes  the  idea  of  covenant 
properly  as  such,  and  sometimes  that  of  testament  or 
will  {e.  g.,  ix :  16,  17),  in  which  places  it  certainly 
means  will  or  testament.  The  covenants  drawn  out 
at  some  length  in  this  chapter  are  based  exclusively  on 
the  idea  of  pact  or  agreement,  the  feature  of  testament 
being  absent. 

By  the  two  covenants  of  course  is  meant,  that  made 
between  God  and  Israel  at  Sinai  (Ex.  xxiv ;  4-8),  and 
that  instituted  through  the  death  of  Jesus.  The 
former  is  described  at  length  in  Ex.  xix-xxiv :  the 
latter  in   Matt,   xxvi  :  28  as  "  the  blood  of  the  new 


THE    EPISTLE    TO    THE    HEBREWS  221 

covenant,"  and  in  i  Cor.  xi  :  25  as  the  "  cup  of  the  new 
covenant  in  My  blood."  Jeremiah  describes  this  latter 
covenant  in  its  characteristic  features  in  xxxi  :  31-34. 
The  passage  is  here  quoted  in  full.  The  antithesis 
between  the  two  is  most  marked. 

1 .  The  mediators  of  the  two  covenants. — A  media- 
tor is  one  whose  office  it  is  to  reconcile  parties  at 
variance  and  to  bring  them  into  friendship  and  peace. 
The  mediator  of  the  Sinai  covenant  was  Moses  (Gal. 
iii :  19;  Deut.  v:  5,  22,  23,  31).  He  was  an  honoured 
servant  of  God,  and  the  greatest  man  Israel  has  pro- 
duced, perhaps  the  greatest  of  our  race.  But  he  was 
only  a  man,  often  erring,  always  weak  and  dependent. 
The  mediator  of  the  new  is  Christ  the  Lord,  the  One 
who  has  revealed  it  (i  :  i  ;  ii  i ;  iii :  i).  By  as  much 
as  the  Son  transcends  in  dignity  and  authority  the  serv- 
ant, by  so  much  is  His  covenant  better  than  that 
inaugurated  through  Moses. 

2.  The  first  was  initiated  by  blood  of  animal  sacri- 
fices (ix :  19,  20;  Ex.  xxiv  :  1-8). — But  Jesus  the 
Mediator  ratifies  the  new  covenant  by  the  shedding  of 
His  own  blood  (ii :  1 1  ;  ix  :  1 5 ,  1 6 ;  x :  29  ;  Matt,  xxvi : 
28).  Like  the  epistles  of  Paul  this  Scripture  attaches 
supreme  importance  to  the  blood  of  Christ.  By  it 
eternal  redemption  has  been  obtained  for  us  (ix :  1 2)  ; 
by  it  the  conscience  is  cleansed  from  dead  works 
(ix:  14),  and  service  to  the  living  God  secured  ;  by  it 
believers  enter  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  accepted  and 
saved  forever  (x  :  19).  It  is  this  precious  blood  which 
has  inaugurated,  ratified,  and  forever  secured  all  the 
provisions  of  the  new  covenant  for  the  people  of  God. 


222        OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

Not  one  word  of  the  '*  better  promises  "  contained  in 
it  will  fail  of  being  realized  and  enjoyed.  The  red  seal 
of  redemption  stamped  upon  it  by  the  Son  of  God 
Himself  can  never  be  invalidated.  Through  all  eter- 
nity it  will  hold.  If  the  first  had  been  faultless  there 
would  have  been  neither  need  nor  place  for  a  second. 
But  the  first  was  imperfect,  faulty.  Therefore  another 
and  better  was  provided,  of  which  Jeremiah  gives  the 
characteristics.  It  was  when  Judah  and  Israel  were 
both  in  exile  that  Jeremiah  spoke,  and  the  exile  was 
proof  of  the  inefficiency  of  the  old  covenant ;  it  was 
virtually  broken  and  ready  to  vanish.  A  better  was 
announced,  and  is  now  in  full  operation — the  new 
covenant  of  Christ  with  His  people. 

3.  The  first  covenant  was  mainly  legal,  one  that 
imposed  duties  and  denounced  failures  and  infractions 
of  its  terms.  The  second  covenant  is  ev^angelical, 
spiritual.  In  the  first  God  said,  "  Thou  shalt,"  "  Thou 
shalt  not "  :  in  the  second,  He  says,  "  I  will "  (vs. 
10-12).  The  first  was  inscribed  on  tables  of  stone  :  the 
second  on  the  tables  of  the  heart  (2  Cor.  iii :  2-8). 
The  first  was  suited  to  the  childhood  of  the  chosen 
people,  to  minors :  the  second  belongs  to  Christians, 
who  have  reached  their  majority  (Gal.  iv :  1-7).  "  I 
will  put  my  laws  into  their  mind,  and  on  their  heart 
also  will  I  write  them  " — in  their  minds,  that  they  may 
know  them  ;  in  their  hearts,  that  they  may  love,  cherish 
and  delight  in  them. 

4.  The  new  covenant  provides  for  universal  knowl- 
edge of  the  Lord  (v.  1 1),  "And  they  shall  not  teach  every 
man  his  neighbour  [fellow-citizen,  as  the  critical  texts 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    HEBREWS  223 

give  it)  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying,  Know  the 
Lord  :  for  all  shall  know  Me,  from  the  least  to  the 
greatest."  The  first  was  chiefly  external,  consisting  of 
written  statutes  and  prescriptions  ;  hence  requiring  to 
be  taught  to  men  by  those  appointed  to  such  office,  as 
priests  and  prophets.  But  the  second  is  written  in  the 
heart,  is  Hke  a  universal  principle  of  the  mind,  and 
known  to  all  who  are  the  happy  possessors  of  it. 
No  priest  or  prophet  is  needed  to  teach  it  to  them 
(of.  I  John  ii :  27). 

5.  The  new  covenant  announces  forgiveness  of 
unrighteousness  and  the  obHvion  of  sins  and  iniquities 
(v.  12),  "  For  I  will  be  merciful  to  their  unrighteous- 
ness," etc.  This  divine  forgiveness  so  unconditionally 
promised  lies  at  the  base  of  the  other  promises  of  the 
new  covenant.  So  the  apostle  himself  regards  it 
(x:  16,  17).  The  first  was  defective  exactly  in  this,  it 
could  not  take  away  sins  (ix  :  9  :  x  :  4,  11).  Beautiful 
and  most  comforting  are  God's  words,  "  I  will  re- 
member no  more."  He  is  the  only  Being  who  can 
forget  forever,  and  He  will  obHterate  all  memory  of 
His  people's  sins,  these  He  will  forever  blot  out.  A 
new  covenant  implies  that  the  first  is  invalidated,  is  ex- 
piring of  old  age.  It  is  displaced  by  the  second  and 
perfect  which  is  unchangeable  because  perfect. 

(/)  Contrast  and  comparison  between  the  Aaronic 
offerings  and  Christ's  (ix  :  6-x  :  18). — Offering  sacrifice 
is  an  essential  function  of  the  priestly  office.  We  are 
even  told  that  for  this  purpose  every  priest  is  ap- 
pointed, that  it  was  necessary  our  High  Priest  present 
an  offering  to  God  (viii :  3).     He  is  no  priest  who  has 


224       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

no  sacrifice  to  offer.  Accordingly,  this  sublime  section 
we  are  now  to  study  is  devoted  to  the  offerings  re- 
spectively of  Israel's  priests  on  the  one  hand,  and  to 
the  one  efficient  offering  of  the  Son  of  God  on  the 
other.  Let  it  be  carefully  noted  that  here  is  both  con- 
trast and  comparison.  For  while  there  is  the  sharpest 
antithesis  between  the  two  as  to  inherent  value,  there 
is  also  a  striking  parallelism.  The  priestly  ministry  of 
our  Lord  corresponds  precisely  with  that  of  Aaron. 
Indeed,  the  Lord  as  Priest  followed  closely  the  model 
of  Aaron,  particularly  in  his  ministry  of  the  Great  Day 
of  Atonement.  Hence  Christ  fulfills  the  double  priestly 
type  of  the  Old  Testament,  viz.,  Melchizedek  and 
Aaron.  He  is  of  the  order  of  the  first,  He  exercises 
His  office  after  the  pattern  of  the  second. 

I.  Aaron  must  first  offer  for  his  own  sins  and  for 
his  household  before  he  could  present  the  sacrifice  for 
the  people  (ix  :  7  ;  cf  vii :  27  ;  Lev.  ix  :  8). — This  fact 
indicates  the  inherent  weakness  of  the  Levitical  priest- 
hood. The  priest  was  a  sinner,  his  house  sinful,  and 
before  he  can  act  at  all  in  behalf  of  the  congregation 
his  sins  and  those  of  his  house  must  be  covered  by  the 
blood  of  atonement.  We  are  not  told  distinctively 
that  he  made  confession  of  his  guiltiness  over  the  vic- 
tim's head,  but  that  he  did  so  is  certain  if  priestly  ex- 
ample at  the  time  of  the  second  temple  is  proof.  He 
laid  both  his  hands  on  the  head  of  his  offering,  and 
confessed  :  "  Ah,  Jehovah  !  I  have  committed  iniquity  ; 
I  have  transgressed  ;  I  have  sinned — I  and  my  house. 
Oh,  then,  Jehovah,  I  entreat  Thee,  cover  over  the  in- 
iquities, the  transgressions,  and  the  sins  which  I  have 


THE    EPISTLE   TO   THE    HEBREWS  22$ 

committed,  transgressed,  and  sinned  before  Thee — I 
and  my  house,  even  as  it  is  written  in  the  law  of  Moses, 
Thy  servant :  For,  on  that  day  will  He  cover  over  for 
you  to  make  you  clean  ;  from  all  your  transgressions 
before  Jehovah  ye  shall  be  cleansed."  ^  But  Christ  the 
Lord  was  absolutely  sinless,  both  personally  and  of- 
ficially (vii:26;  ix  :  14);  He  offered  Himself  "with- 
out spot  (blemish)  unto  God."  Jesus  was  personally 
and  essentially  what  Aaron  was  ceremonially  after  his 
confession  and  offering,  without  sin.  Moreover,  the 
victim  of  Aaron  was  to  be  a  male,  without  blemish,  the 
most  perfect  to  be  had  (Lev.  iv :  3).  As  Jesus  com- 
bined in  Himself  the  typical  character  both  of  Israel's 
priest  and  his  sin-offering.  He  is  without  sin  in  Him- 
self and  in  His  sacrifice.  He  is  Priest,  Offering,  and 
Altar  in  Himself.  All  that  Aaron  was  and  did  as 
priest  was  but  a  thin  shadow  of  the  great  reality,  Jesus 
Christ. 

2.  Aaron  exercised  his  ministry  in  the  earthly 
sanctuary,  the  tabernacle  of  this  world  (ix  :  i) ;  the 
holy  place  made  with  hands  (ix  :  24). — The  Tabernacle 
of  the  wilderness  was  a  temporary  provision  designed 
to  meet  the  needs  of  God's  people.  It  was  displaced 
by  the  temple  erected  by  Divine  direction  at  Jerusa- 
lem. But  the  temple  was  an  exact  copy  of  the  older 
sanctuary,  with  the  same  compartments,  the  Court,  the 
Holy  Place,  and  the  Most  Holy  Place.  The  services 
likewise  at  each  were  identical.  Both  disappeared 
when  they  had  served  the  end  for  which  they  were 
built.     In    this    worldly   ("  cosmical ")    house    Aaron 

^  Edersheim. 


226        OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

served.  Beautiful  as  it  was,  profoundly  significant  in 
its  structure  and  appointments,  it  was  nevertheless  of 
the  earth,  earthy.  It  was  no  more  than  a  shadow 
thrown  forward  by  the  perfect  sanctuary  with  its  glo- 
rious priest.  In  the  "  greater  and  more  perfect  taber- 
nacle, not  made  with  hands,  that  is  to  say,  not  of  this 
building "  Christ  hath  entered,  i.  e.,  into  heaven 
itself,  having  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us 
(ix  :  II,  12,  24).  He  now  ministers  before  the  face  of 
God  amid  the  glory  and  the  bliss  of  heaven.  He  is 
there  because  He  has  effected  a  real  atonement.  He 
is  there  as  the  representative  of  His  people.  As 
Aaron  on  the  Day  of  Expiation  went  into  the  most 
holy  place  as  the  representative  of  all  Israel,  and  min- 
istered in  the  presence  of  God  in  their  behalf,  so 
Christ,  having  made  purification  of  sins  by  the  sacrifice 
of  Himself  (i :  3)  entered  into  heaven,  the  supreme 
abode  of  God,  as  the  advocate  and  forerunner  of  all  the 
saved.  Our  interests  are  as  much  His  concern  now 
as  when  on  earth  He  moved  among  His  disciples  teach- 
ing, guiding,  and  shielding  them.  According  to  the 
plain  teaching  of  the  epistle,  heaven  is  certainly  a  place, 
a  real  locality,  as  truly  as  earth  itself  is. 

3.  Aaron  carried  the  "  blood  of  others,"  alien  blood, 
into  the  holy  of  holies  (ix :  25). — This  means  of  course 
the  blood  of  brute  beasts,  that  of  goats  and  calves 
(ix  :  12).  It  was  blood  not  his  own  he  sprinkled  on 
and  before  the  mercy-seat.  It  was  foreign  blood.  It 
had  no  affinity  with  the  blood  that  flowed  in  Aaron's 
veins  and  in  the  veins  of  the  Hebrews.  The  distance 
between  a  brute  and  a  man  is  infinite.     The  only  pos- 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  22/ 

sible  value  which  could  attach  to  animal  sacrifice  arose 
from  divine  appointment  and  typical  significance. 
Life  given  for  life  is  the  first  great  lesson  taught. 
Blood,  Hfe,  alone  can  make  atonement  for  human  sin 
(Lev.  xvii :  1 1) — "  For  it  is  the  blood  that  maketh 
atonement  by  reason  of  the  life  "  (r.v.).  Besides,  all 
sacrifice  offered  by  Divine  command  had  a  prophetic 
element  in  it ;  it  spoke  unmistakably  of  the  one  per- 
fect and  all-sufficient  offering  which  the  Son  of  God  in 
due  time  should  make,  by  which  all  sin  of  all  the  saved 
should  be  forever  expiated  and  put  away.  Even  if 
Aaron  could  have  presented  his  own  blood  to  God,  it 
would  have  been  of  no  avail.  "  None  of  them  can  by 
any  means  redeem  his  brother,  nor  give  to  God  a  ran- 
som for  him :  (for  the  redemption  of  their  soul  is 
costly,  and  must  be  let  alone  for  ever  ")  (Ps.  xHx  :  7,  8). 
The  unrivalled  excellence  of  Christ's  sacrifice  lies 
in  this,  that  He  offered  His  own  blood  (v.  12).  He 
Himself  was  the  Lamb  without  blemish  and  without 
spot,  whose  blood  Peter  describes  2&  precious  (i  Peter 
i :  19).  It  is  precious  because  the  life  of  a  sinless  and 
perfect  Man ;  preeminently,  because  the  blood  of  the 
Son  of  God  who  is  the  effulgence  of  the  Father's 
glory,  and  the  very  image  of  His  substance.  This 
stupendous  fact,  viz.,  that  the  blood  which  redeems  is 
that  of  One  who  is  both  God  and  man,  Jehovah's 
Fellow  and  our  Brother,  invests  Christ's  offering  of 
Himself  to  God  with  infinite  worth.  Accordingly, 
we  read  in  Paul's  address  to  the  Ephesian  elders 
(Acts  xx:  28)  .  .  .  "Feed  the  Church  of  God 
which  He  hath  purchased  with  His  own  blood."     This 


228       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN    THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

is  a  very  startling  statement,  and  it  is  not  surprising 
that  copyists  and  scribes  of  the  olden  time  sought  to 
soften  the  tremendous  thought — *'  God's  Blood "  ! 
Hence  the  "  various  readings  "  of  the  words.  But  the 
two  oldest  known  manuscripts,  viz.,  the  Vatican  and 
Sinaitic,  have  the  words  as  they  are  in  King  James. 
If  we  read  Lord  ^  instead  of  God,  the  truth  is  still  the 
same ;  the  blood  that  redeems  is  blood  Divine. 

4.  The  Levitical  sacrifices  sanctified  to  the  purify- 
ing of  the  flesh  (ix :  1 3). — Christ's  offering  cleanses  the 
conscience  from  dead  works,  (v.  14).  The  com- 
parison is  drawn  between  the  purifying  efficacy  re- 
spectively of  the  sacrifices  under  the  law,  and  that  of 
Christ.  "  The  comparison  is  twofold — first,  as  to  the 
comparative  effectiveness  of  the  two ;  and  second,  as 
to  the  spheres  within  which  they  are  respectively 
effectual."  Both  serve ;  but  the  power  of  each  is 
vastly  different.  The  writer  names  the  principal  sin- 
offerings  of  the  Mosaic  ritual,  viz.,  the  goat,  the  bull, 
the  ashes  of  a  heifer.  The  bull  refers  to  the  sacrifice 
which  Aaron,  on  the  Day  of  Atonement,  offered  for 
himself  and  his  house :  the  goat  was  for  the  sins  of 
the  congregation  (Lev.  xvi).  The  third  was  the 
provision  made  for  the  removal  of  defilement,  and 
was  instituted  in  the  wilderness  (Num.  xix).  When 
one  had  contracted  defilement  by  touching  a  dead 
body,  or  a  grave,  or  even  a  bone,  he  could  be  purified 
only  by  being  sprinkled  by  the  "  water  of  separation." 

1  American  revision :  margin  of  English  R.  v.  Two  of  the  latest 
Greek  texts,  Weymouth's  (1892),  and  Nestle's  (1898),  have  God; 
so  also  Wescott  and  Hort  (1881). 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  229 

Thereby  he  was  restored  to  full  communion  with  the 
congregation.  While  in  defilement,  he  was  separated 
from  it,  and  all  he  came  in  contact  with  was  likewise 
rendered  unclean.  Now  all  this  sheds  light  on  the 
expression,  "  sanctifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh." 
All  the  Mosaic  sacrifices  could  effect  was  of  an  ex- 
ternal sort ;  they  removed  ceremonial  disabilities,  they 
restored  the  unclean  to  fellowship,  they  kept  the 
chosen  people  in  covenant  relation  with  God.  This 
seems  to  be  the  force  of  the  word,  "  sanctifieth,"  /.  e., 
cleanses.  They  rendered  the  flesh  ceremonially  pure, 
so  that  fellowship  in  the  worship  of  God  in  the 
sanctuary  was  maintained  and  made  acceptable.  We 
are  expressly  told  in  this  epistle  that  the  Mosaic 
offerings  could  not  take  away  sins ;  hence,  their  value 
lay  mainly  in  their  power  to  cleanse  from  defilements 
of  the  flesh,  and  in  their  prophecy  of  the  great 
sacrifice  which  our  Lord  should  finally  offer. 

In  contrast  with  this,  we  read,  "  How  much  more 
shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who  through  the  eternal 
Spirit  offered  Himself  without  spot  to  God,  purge 
(cleanse)  your  conscience  from  dead  works  to  serve 
the  living  God  ?  "  The  force  of  "  how  much  more  " 
seems  to  be  this  :  premis — the  blood  of  animal  sacrifices 
and  the  water  of  purification  did  something;  did 
sanctify  and  cleanse  the  flesh :  conclusion — How 
much  more  the  blood  of  Christ.  The  contrast  lies 
both  in  the  power  of  each,  and  the  sphere  of  their 
respective  action.  One  is,  animal  blood,  the  other, 
Christ's  ;  the  former  has  to  do  with  the  flesh ;  the  latter 
with  the  conscience,  with  sin's  presence  and  effects. 


230       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

But  what  is  meant  by  Christ's  offering  Himself 
through  the  Eternal  Spirit  ?  What  Spirit  is  meant  ? 
The  Holy  Spirit,  not  a  few  think.  But  there  are 
serious  objections  to  this  view.  First,  nowhere  else  jn 
the  New  Testament  is  He  called  eternal.  Of  course, 
as  a  Divine  Person,  the  Holy  Spirit  is  eternal ;  but 
the  adjective  is  not  applied  to  Him  elsewhere. 
Second,  the  phrase,  "  through  the  eternal  Spirit," 
quaUfies  "offered  Himself  unto  God":  it  does  not 
quahfy  "  without  spot " ;  for,  Christ  was  personally 
and  officially  without  blemish.  Third,  the  words  will 
not  bear  the  explanation  that  it  was  by  the  impulse  of 
the  Spirit  Christ  offered  Himself,  for  it  is  expressly 
said  the  Son  did  it  through  His  own  will  (x :  7,  9). 
His  own  voluntary  action  is  an  essential  element  in 
His  atoning  sacrifice.  Fourth,  the  absence  both  of 
the  qualifying  term  Holy,  and  the  article,  can  hardly 
be  explained  on  this  view. 

On  the  whole,  it  appears  preferable  to  understand 
the  words  as  referring  to  Christ's  own  Divine  Spirit, 
His  Deity.  In  two  other  places  such  reference  is  un- 
questionable, viz.,  Rom.  i:  4;  I  Tim.  iii:  16.  In  con- 
tradistinction from  animal  sacrifices  in  which  the 
death  was  a  matter  of  constraint,  and  unconscious,  the 
Lord  Jesus,  through  the  energy  of  His  own  eternal 
Spirit,  consciously  and  freely  offered  Himself  to  God 
as  the  substitute  and  sin-bearer  of  His  people.  Now 
this  view  seems  to  be  most  pertinent  to  the  apostle's 
argument.  The  blood  of  animals  cannot  take  away 
sin.  The  sacrifice  of  a  mere  man,  however  perfect 
and  spotless,  would  have  been  of  no  value  in  behalf  of 


THE    EPISTLE    TO    THE    HEBREWS  23 1 

sinners.  But  the  offering  of  Christ  possesses  surpass- 
ing worth  because  it  was  made  by  the  Son  of  God, 
Jehovah's  equal.  Beyond  doubt,  the  Holy  Spirit  co- 
operated with  Jesus  in  His  death  as  in  His  life,  but  the 
point  here  appears  to  be  the  Son's  own  free  and  de- 
liberate action.  Never  was  Christ  more  active  than 
in  His  atoning  sacrifice.  Hence  the  force  of  the 
significant  preposition,  through.  By  the  agency  of 
His  Divine  nature.  He  offered  Himself  to  God. 
There  is  deep  significance  in  the  statements  of  Scrip- 
ture as  to  His  free  action  in  death,  e.  g.,  "  He  gave 
himself"  (Gal.  ii :  20;  Eph.  v:  2,  25).  Matthew's 
strong  word  is  :  "  He  dismissed  his  spirit "  (xxvii :  50), 
and  John's  is  quite  similar,  "  He  delivered  up  his 
spirit  "  (xix  :  30).  The  act  was  voluntary,  free.  "  No 
man  taketh  it  (My  life)  away  from  Me,  but  I  lay  it 
down  of  myself.  I  have  power  to  lay  it  down,  and  I 
have  power  to  take  it  again  "  (John  x :  18).  Over  His 
own  life  and  death  Christ  had  absolute  control.  Of  no 
mere  man  can  so  much  be  said ;  of  no  creature,  not 
even  of  the  highest  angel.  We  die  because  we  must. 
Over  the  whole  race  death  reigns,  except  in  the  one 
case  of  our  Lord  Jesus.  He  held  His  life  and  His 
death  in  His  own  right.  No  creature,  man  or  angel, 
could  wrest  it  from  Him.  His  death  was  voluntary, 
yet  a  necessity,  if  the  children  of  men  were  ever  to  be 
saved.  Animals  were  offered  to  God;  Jesus  Christ 
offered  Himself  through  His  own  eternal  Spirit. 

His  offering  purges  (cleanses)  the  conscience  from 
dead  works,  i.  e.,  from  works  that  pollute  it  and  bind 
on  it  the  sense  of  guilt  and  that  lead  to  eternal  death. 


232       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

The  conscience  of  all  who  trust  in  Christ  is  satisfied 
because  they  know  God  is  satisfied.  Christ's  death  is 
the  ground  both  of  our  justification  and  sanctification. 
Mark  the  contrast :  Let  the  silver  trumpets  herald  in 
the  Day  of  Atonement,  let  its  inspired  solemnities  be 
all  fulfilled;  and,  though  the  nation  is  legally,  cere- 
monially cleansed  thereby,  this  has  not  met  the  needs 
nor  silenced  the  fears  of  a  single  contrite  soul;  the 
most  holy  place  is  still  inaccessible.  But  in  Christ 
every  Divine  claim  against  the  guilty  is  met  and  re- 
moved, sin  is  put  away,  and  the  way  into  the  Divine 
Presence  is  wide  open.  "  Let  us  draw  near  in  full  as- 
surance of  faith  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an 
evil  conscience  and  our  bodies  washed  with  pure 
water"  (x:  19-25). 

5.  The  Levitical  Atonement  availed  but  for  one 
year  (ix  :  7,  25  ;  cf.  Lev.  xvi :  34).  Christ's  is  eternally 
efficacious  (ix :  12,  24-26;  x:  12). — The  most  sacred 
and  impressive  of  all  Hebrew  sacrifices  was  that  made 
on  the  Day  of  Atonement.  It  was  the  one  supreme 
effort  to  realize  remission  of  sins  and  reconciliation 
with  God.  But  the  transactions  of  that  Day  were 
powerless  to  effect  this.  When  the  tenth  day  of  the 
seventh  month  came  round  each  year  the  same  fasting, 
confession,  laying  of  the  people's  sins  on  the  head  of 
the  Scapegoat,  and  the  entrance  of  the  high  priest 
into  the  most  holy  place  where  he  sprinkled  the  blood 
on  and  before  the  mercy-seat  seven  times,  must  be  re- 
peated. This  fact  demonstrates  the  impotency  of  the 
Levitical  system  to  atone  for  sins. 

But  Christ's  one  offering  has  forever  secured  this 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  233 

transcendent  boon.  He  has  obtained  eternal  redemp- 
tion for  all  believers.  Note  how  often  we  meet  in  this 
section  of  the  epistle  with  the  expression,  "  once," 
"once  for  all"  (vii :  27;  ix :  12,  26,  28;  x:  10,  12). 
In  all  these  places,  save  one,  the  same  term  occurs — 
"  once  for  all."  The  apostle's  conclusion  is  summed 
up  in  these  grand  words :  "  But  He,  when  He  had 
offered  one  sacrifice  for  sins  forever,  sat  down  on  the 
right  hand  of  God."  It  is  with  a  finished  atonement 
we  have  now  to  do.  It  can  never  be  repeated ;  to  its 
saving  efficacy  nothing  can  ever  be  added;  from  its 
unmeasured  worth  nothing  can  ever  be  subtracted. 
Alone,  complete,  accepted,  eternal,  Christ's  glorious 
atonement  stands  forever. 

6.  The  Levitical  offerings  could  not  take  away  sin 
(x:  1-4,  II). — The  one  offering  of  Christ  does  in  very 
truth  secure  remission  of  sins  and  perfect  reconciliation 
with  God.  It  actually  makes  Jehovah  and  the  sinner 
at  one.  "  But  now  once  in  the  end  of  the  ages  hath 
He  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  Him- 
self" (ix:  26).  "For  by  one  offering  He  hath  per- 
fected forever  them  that  are  sanctified  "  (x :  14).  Here 
is  the  apostle's  conclusion  again :  "  Now  where  re- 
mission of  these  is,  there  is  no  more  offering  for  sin  " 
(x:  18).  He  atoned  for  the  sins  even  of  those  who 
hved  and  died  before  His  advent,  for  the  Old  Testa- 
ment saints  were  not  saved  by  the  blood  of  goats  and 
calves  any  more  than  men  are  saved  now  thereby. 
Christ's  death  has  a  retrospective  effect.  It  redeemed 
the  Old  Testament  saints  as  certainly  as  it  redeems  be- 
lievers  in    New   Testament   times.     Hence  we   read, 


234        OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

«'  And  for  this  cause  He  is  the  mediator  of  the  new 
covenant,  that  by  means  of  death,  for  the  redemption 
of  the  transgressions  that  were  under  the  first  cove- 
nant, they  which  are  called  might  receive  the  promise 
of  eternal  inheritance"  (ix:  15).  The  phrase,  "re- 
demption of  the  transgressions  "  is  elliptical.  It  means 
redemption  from  the  penalty  due  to  transgressions. 
These  had  been  committed  under  the  first  covenant, 
i.  e.y  by  those  who  lived  before  the  Saviour's  advent. 
Animal  blood  did  not  atone  for  their  sins  nor  ransom 
their  souls.  They  were  saved  on  credit.  The  propiti- 
ation for  their  sins,  as  for  ours,  was  made  by  Christ's 
offering  of  Himself.  This  fact  attaches  an  awful  sig- 
nificance to  the  Cross.  All  the  sins  of  all  the  re- 
deemed, from  Adam  and  Eve  down  to  the  very  last  of 
their  descendants  who  shall  be  saved,  met  in  the  Cross, 
were  laid  on  that  blessed  head,  were  expiated  by  that 
precious  blood. 

7.  Aaron  and  his  successors  in  office  stood  daily 
ministering,  and  offering  oftentimes  the  same  sacrifices 
(x:  11).  But  Christ  when  He  had  offered  one  sacrifice 
for  sins  forever,  sat  down  (x :  1 2). — The  Aaronic 
priests  always  stood  at  their  work ;  they  never  sat 
down.  Indeed,  no  seats  were  provided  for  them 
either  in  the  tabernacle  or  in  the  temple.  For  their 
work  was  never  done.  In  one  unceasing  round  of 
service  they  were  evermore  engaged.  For  the  law — 
that  whole  system  of  Moses — made  nothing  perfect. 
Jewish  altars  were  always  wet  with  sacrificial  blood. 
The  altar  fires  were  never  allowed  to  go  out.  Incense, 
the  light,  and  shewbread  in  the  holy  place,  must  be 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE    HEBREWS  235 

kept  going.  It  was  all  a  weary,  profitless  go- 
round. 

But  Jesus  finished  transgression,  made  an  end  of 
sin,  and  brought  in  everlasting  righteousness  by  His 
offering  made  once  for  all,  and  then  He  sat  down. 
Four  times  in  the  epistle  is  this  glorious  fact  mentioned 
(i :  3  ;  viii :  I  ;  x  :  12  ;  xii :  2).  His  atoning  work  has 
been  brought  to  a  final,  satisfactory,  and  triumphant 
conclusion.     He  is  now  seated. 

Hebrews  may  be  fitly  described  as  a  treatise  on  per- 
fection. Two  words  very  often  occur  in  it,  **  better," 
found  some  twelve  times,  and  "  perfect,"  some  nine 
times.  They  are  its  key.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  engaged 
in  setting  before  the  saints  of  God  the  great  truth  that 
in  Jesus  Christ  we  have  God's  best  gifts :  a  better 
covenant,  a  better  hope,  a  better  resurrection  :  for  in 
Him  we  have  all  that  is  perfect,  and  He  will  in  His 
grace  perfect  us  forever  and  ever. 

It  is  instructive  to  mark  how  the  inspired  writer  re- 
moves one  thing  after  another  that  we  may  have  an 
unobstructed  sight  of  the  Redeemer.  In  chaps,  i,  ii, 
the  angels  take  their  appointed  places  that  Christ  may 
fill  the  vision.  In  iii,  iv,  Moses  and  Joshua  are  set 
aside  that  the  great  Deliverer  and  Captain,  our  Lord 
Jesus,  may  have  His  own  place.  For  Jesus  does  for 
us  the  initiative  work  of  Moses  and  the  consummating 
work  of  Joshua.  He  delivers  us  from  spiritual  Egypt, 
He  brings  us  into  the  Rest  of  God.  In  v,  vi,  vii,  the 
Aaronic  priesthood  is  displaced  to  make  room  for  our 
Melchizedek  High  Priest  that  we  may  behold  in  Him 
the  riches  and  the  glory  of  the  true  priestly  character. 


236       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

In  viii,  the  New  Covenant  displaces  the  old  that  we 
may  see  how  richly  it  is  stored  with  the  grace  and  the 
love  and  the  mercy  of  the  blessed  God.  In  ix,  x,  the 
sacrifices  and  altars  and  services  of  the  old  sanctuary 
are  set  aside  to  let  in  the  one  all-sufficient  offering,  the 
one  supreme  altar  on  which  the  Lamb  of  God  lay.  In 
xii,  the  system  established  at  Sinai,  the  earthly  Jerusa- 
lem, and  the  earthly  congregation  are  all  removed,  to 
bring  in  the  heavenly  covenant,  the  heavenly  assembly 
and  the  celestial  city.  Here,  the  Spirit  lays  aside  one 
thing  after  another  that  Christ  in  His  fullness  and 
majesty  may  be  seen,  and  then  we  are  bidden  gaze  on 
Him,  "  consider  Him." 

According  to  Hebrews,  all  that  Christ  touches  He 
perfects.  The  moment  He  touches  the  priesthood 
He  perfects  it :  the  moment  He  touches  the  altar,  He 
perfects  it :  the  moment  He  touches  the  Sanctuary, 
He  perfects  it :  the  moment  He  touches  a  sinner.  He 
perfects  him.  Then,  too,  eternity  is  imparted  to  all 
He  touches.  His  throne  is  forever  and  ever  (i).  His 
house  is  forever  and  ever  (iii).  His  salvation  is  for 
eternity  (v,  vi).  His  priesthood  is  unchangeable  (vii). 
His  covenants  everlasting  (viii).  His  Kingdom  cannot 
be  moved  (xii).  An  empty  sepulchre,  and  a  filled 
throne  :  an  open  heaven,  an  Apostle  and  High  Priest : 
a  Saviour  and  Brother — this,  and  far  more,  Hebrews 
discloses  to  us.  If  we  stand  in  the  law,  we  are  in  a 
world  of  shadows.  If  we  are  found  in  Christ,  we 
stand  amid  eternal  realities  and  perfections :  "  And 
there  I  stand,  poor  worm,"  as  old  Gambold  said. 

IV.     The  doctrine  of  faith  (xi). — Faith  holds  a  con- 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  23/ 

spicuous  place  in  Hebrews,  as  chaps,  iii,  iv,  vi,  x; 
19-39  attest.  But  in  these  sections  it  is  the  faith  com- 
mon to  the  New  Testament  as  a  whole  that  is  spoken 
of.  It  is  saving  faith  that  is  meant,  faith  as  contrasted 
with  unbeHef.  It  is  a  single  and  somewhat  pecuHar 
phase  of  faith  that  is  presented  in  chapter  xi. 

I .  What  is  the  faith  here  illustrated  ? — Verse  i 
reads  :  "  Now  faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped 
for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen."  It  reads  much 
Hke  a  definition.  Many  say  it  is  a  definition.  But,  is 
it  ?  With  very  slight  differences  the  American,  the 
English,  and  the  Bible  Union  revisions  render  thus  : 
"  Now  faith  is  assurance  of  things  hoped  for,  a  con- 
viction of  things  not  seen."  The  English  revisers  have 
"  the  proving  of  things  not  seen,"  with  "  test "  as  an 
alternative.  Diodati's  Italian  has  "  demonstration," 
and  one  meets  here  and  there  the  term  "  persuasion," 
which  appeals  strongly  to  the  writer.  There  can  be 
little  doubt  that  this  translation  is  preferable  to  King 
James'  version.  It  is  not  so  much  a  definition  of  the 
principle  of  faith  that  is  given  us  as  a  declaration  of  its 
powers  and  action.  The  apostle  does  not  mean  to  tell 
us  what  faith,  in  its  essence  is,  but,  rather,  what  faith 
does.  Faith  is  a  confident  assurance  and  a  settled 
conviction  respecting  things  hoped  for  though  unseen. 
It  is  the  soul's  eye  that  sees  the  invisible.  It  is  the 
soul's  hand  that  grasps  the  promised  blessings  and 
makes  them  its  very  own.  Faith  lays  hold  on  what  is 
future  but  sure  and  brings  it  into  the  Hfe  of  the  be- 
liever, so  that  in  the  presence  and  power  of  it  he  lives 
and  walks.     Faith  in  this  chapter  is  far-sightedness. 


238  OUTLINE    STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

It  sees  and  it  foresees.  It  pierces  into  the  unseen,  it 
seizes  the  promised  riches  of  God  and  makes  them 
a  present  reality,  and  therefore  the  Hfe  of  the  beHever 
may  become  opulent  with  noble  deeds  because  ruled 
and  stimulated  by  a  master  motive. 

Let  us  not  read  the  chapter  as  though  it  was  a  song 
sung  in  praise  of  Abel,  Enoch,  Abraham,  and  the 
other  men  and  women  whose  names  are  here  enrolled. 
It  is  not  this  :  it  is  an  anthem  of  praise  to  the  victo- 
rious faith  these  worthies  exhibited.  Faith  made  them 
what  they  were  and  all  they  were.  Faith  made  the 
things  promised  a  present  reality,  a  living  power,  in 
their  lives.  Accordingly,  a  magnificent  testimony  has 
been  borne  to  these  elders  (v.  2).  Had  they  been 
destitute  of  this  conquering  faith,  had  they  not  had  its 
far-sightedness,  they  had  differed  little  if  at  all  from  the 
common  level  of  men.  They  would  have  lived  and 
died  and  sunk  into  the  obscurity  which  has  swallowed  up 
their  contemporaries.  Their  faith  has  immortalized  them. 

2.  The  faith  of  the  Antediluvian  saints  (vs.  4,  5,  7). 
— Three  of  the  "  World's  gray  fathers  "  are  named, 
Abel,  Enoch,  Noah.  The  first  exhibited  his  faith  in 
worship.  He  came  to  God  as  a  sinner  ;  he  stood  on 
the  ground  of  atonement ;  he  offered  life  in  substi- 
tution of  his  own  forfeited  life.  God  testified  His 
approval  of  his  worship,  pronounced  him  righteous, 
accepted  his  gifts,  and  now  enrolls  him  among  His 
saved.  Nearly  six  thousand  years  have  passed  since 
Abel's  brutal  murder,  but  his  faith  still  speaks.  Mil- 
lions have  heard  the  voice  of  it,  and  have  been  helped. 
Being  dead  Abel  yet  speaks. 


THE   EPISTLE   TO    THE   HEBREWS  239 

The  second,  Enoch,  showed  his  faith  in  Divine  com- 
panionship. He  walked  with  God  (Gen.  v :  22,  24)  • 
he  pleased  God.  Paul  brings  the  two  together  thus  : 
"  Ye  received  of  us  how  ye  ought  to  walk  and  to 
please  God"(i  Thess.  iv :  i).  Enoch's  faith  beheld 
the  Invisible,  not  with  an  occasional  glimpse,  but  by 
an  uninterrupted  vision,  a  blessed  habit  of  soul.  He 
walked  with  God.  He  spent  the  days  with  Him. 
God  and  Enoch  were  companions,  inseparable,  daily. 
For  three  hundred  years  and  more,  Enoch  walked 
with  God,  and  then  walked  out  of  the  world  into 
heaven,  for  God  must  have  His  companion  with  Him- 
self. He  changed  his  place,  he  did  not  change  his 
company.  Two  men  have  gone  to  glory  without  pass- 
ing through  the  gates  of  death,  Enoch  and  Elijah.  Two 
other  men  will  be  hurled  in  the  Lake  of  fire  alivCy 
the  Beast  and  the  False  Prophet  (Rev.  xix :  20). 

The  third,  Noah,  believed  God  when  the  whole 
world  was  against  him.  His  was  an  unwavering  faith 
in  a  time  of  colossal  wickedness  and  universal  apostasy. 
In  Noah's  day  the  godly  were  reduced  to  a  minority 
of  eight  souls.  History  surrounds  the  name  of 
Athanasius  with  immortal  lustre,  and  rightly.  For  in 
a  time  when  Arianism  was  dominant  in  the  Christian 
Church  this  man  of  God  stood  forth  with  magnificent 
courage  in  defense  of  the  truth ;  and  men  paid  his 
championship  a  noble  tribute.  They  said,  Athanasius 
contra  munduin — Athanasius  against  the  world.  But 
there  were  multitudes  of  faithful  men  who  loyally 
supported  the  dauntless  bishop  of  Alexandria  in  the 
struggle   for   the  Divine  rights  of  Christ  the   Lord. 


240       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

There  was  not  one  who  stood  with  Noah  and  his 
house,  save  God.  All  the  rest  of  the  race  were  in 
rebellion  against  the  Almighty.  "  And  God  said  to 
Noah,  The  end  of  all  flesh  is  come  before  Me ;  for  the 
earth  is  filled  with  violence  through  them  :  and,  behold, 
I  will  destroy  them  with  the  earth.  Make  thee  an 
ark  "  (Gen.  vi). 

"  Moved  with  fear,"  "  wary,"  as  the  margin  sug- 
gestively reads,  Noah  obeyed  the  awful  mandate  and 
began  the  building  of  the  ark.  Mark  how  many 
things  may  have  conspired  to  lead  him  to  disobey. 
First,  the  uniformity  and  inviolability  of  nature's  laws 
would  certainly  defeat  the  predicted  calamity.  There 
never  had  been  a  flood  so  vast  as  this  threatened 
cataclysm  in  the  world's  history,  and  there  would  not 
be  one  in  the  future.  Such  catastrophe  as  Noah 
anticipated  was  contrary  to  the  observation  and 
experience  of  the  race.  Nature  holds  her  unalterable 
way  through  the  ages,  and  it  is  altogether  unlikely 
she  will  vary  a  hair's  breadth  from  her  prescribed 
track.  Miracles  are  *'  unthinkable."  So  men  may 
have  reasoned  with  the  patriarch,  so  might  he  have 
been  disposed  to  reason  himself. 

Moreover,  the  task  set  him  was  enormous.  To 
build  a  ship  of  the  ark's  dimensions  in  our  time  with 
the  endless  recourses  now  at  men's  command  is  a  huge 
undertaking.  What  must  it  have  been  in  that  primi- 
tive age  ?  Besides,  he  must  build  it  at  a  distance  from 
any  large  body  of  water.  So  far  as  can  be  determined 
Noah's  home  was  in  Mesopotamia,  miles  and  miles,  no 
doubt,  from  the  Mediterranean  and  the  Persian  gulf 


THE    EPISTLE   TO    THE    HEBREWS  24 1 

Neither  the  Euphrates  nor  the  Tigris  could  float  the 
ark.  What  folly  to  build  it  at  all? — particularly  to 
build  it  on  land  high  and  dry  ?  What  would  be 
thought  of  the  sanity  of  the  man  who  should  construct 
an  immense  water  craft  amid  the  hills  of  Ohio  or  on 
the  broad  plains  of  Kansas  ?  Once  more,  his  was  a 
work  of  long  duration.  Some  interpreters  hold  that 
the  process  of  making  the  ark  lasted  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  one  hundred  and  twenty  years  of  the  race's 
probation  (Gen.  vi :  3).  Peter's  reference  to  the  long- 
suffering  of  God  that  waited  in  the  days  of  Noah 
while  the  ark  was  preparing  appears  to  support  this 
view.  But  however  this  may  be,  certain  it  is  that  the 
preparing  of  the  materials,  the  construction,  and  the 
storing  of  the  vessel  with  sufficient  food  for  all  housed 
in  it  must  have  required  a  period  of  many  years.  And 
during  the  whole  time  Noah  must  submit  with  what 
patience  he  might  to  the  derision  and  the  sneers  of  his 
ungodly  neighbours.  But  in  spite  of  their  scoffs,  in  the 
face  of  the  constancy  of  nature's  laws,  against  the 
universal  opinion  of  his  contemporaries,  against  even 
his  own  reason  and  judgment,  it  may  be,  his  faith  held 
steady  and  firm.  He  could  only  work  and  wait. 
This  he  did  in  sublime  obedience  to  the  voice  of  God. 
He  so  firmly  believed  the  divine  warning  that  his  faith 
neither  wavered  nor  staggered  before  the  mighty 
difficulties.  His  faith  was  "  wary,"  far-sighted  and 
long-sighted.  And  he  was  rewarded  at  length  in  his 
triumphant  salvation  from  a  drowning  world.  Thereby 
he  condemned  the  world  of  unbelief,  and  became  the 
heir  of  "  the  righteousness  which  is  according  to  faith." 


242       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

3.  Hebrew  Heroes  of  Faith: — Abraham,  Sarah, 
Isaac,  Jacob,  Joseph,  Moses. — In  verse  32  the  writer 
groups  together  a  number  of  men  who  were  dis- 
tinguished for  their  faith — Gideon,  Barak,  Samson, 
Jephtha,  David,  Samuel.  In  fact,  he  brings  the  record 
of  Israelitish  men  of  faith  down  to  the  Maccabean 
struggle  against  the  Syrian  antichrist,  Antiochus 
Epiphanes  (vs.  37,  38).  Altogether,  it  is  a  remark- 
able list  he  gives.  Some  of  these  worthies  were  the 
intellectual  peers  of  earth's  greatest  men,  but  not  a 
word  is  said  of  their  mental  ability  or  of  their  splendid 
gifts.  It  is  their  faith  alone  that  is  conspicuous,  for 
God  cares  more  for  the  childlike  trust  of  His  people 
than  for  acuteness  of  mind.  Faith  not  genius  is  pre- 
cious with  Him. 

Abraham : — •'  By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was 
called  to  go  out  into  a  place  which  he  should  after  re- 
ceive for  an  inheritance,  obeyed ;  and  he  went  out,  not 
knowing  whither  he  went"  (v.  8).  His  destination 
was  not  revealed  to  him  when  the  call  came.  All  that 
was  told  him  was,  "  Get  thee  out  of  thy  country 
.  .  .  unto  aland  that  I  will  shew  thee  "(Gen.  xii :  I ). 
The  land  might  be  distant,  the  way  to  it  difficult  and 
dangerous,  the  people  unfriendly,  for  he  knew  nothing 
of  what  lay  before  him,  but  he  obeyed.  He  went  out 
blindfold,  "  not  knowing  whither  he  went."  But  the 
God  of  glory  led  him  by  the  hand,  over  him  was  the 
Almighty's  shield  (Gen.  xv  :  i).  The  surprising  thing 
in  it  all  is  Abraham's  faith,  a  victorious,  onlooking  and 
outlooking  faith  that  laid  hold  on  things  not  seen,  and 
that  feared  nothing  but  God.     He  believed  God,  he 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE    HEBREWS  243 

looked  for  the  promised  city  of  God.  And  so  he  was 
content  to  be  a  stranger  and  sojourner  in  his  own  land 
(Gen.  xxiii :  4 ;  Acts  vii)  without  so  much  as  a  foot  of 
it  his  own.  Did  the  promise  of  the  inheritance  fail  ? 
Was  it  no  more  than  what  is  called  life's  illusiveness  ? 
— one  thing  promised,  another  thing  given.  It  is  true 
he  got  something  better  for  himself,  and  his  descend- 
ants became  the  owners  and  the  heirs  of  the  land ;  but 
after  all  the  realization  of  the  promise  by  the  patriarch 
himself  was  only  postponed.  His  faith  looked  on  to 
the  future,  saw  Messiah's  day  and  was  glad ;  saw  the 
final  consummation  when  both  he  and  his  seed  shall 
come  into  full  possession  of  everything  embraced  in 
the  covenant.  Abraham  looked  on  to  resurrection 
and  the  heirship  of  the  world.  This  made  his  faith 
the  fine  thing  it  was.  Fairbairn  quotes  a  curious  ex- 
position of  the  Jewish  Rabbis  on  God's  word  to 
Abraham,  "  I  will  give  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee, 
the  land  wherein  thou  art  a  stranger."  "  But  it  ap- 
pears that  Abraham  and  the  other  patriarchs  did  not 
possess  that  land  ;  therefore  it  is  of  necessity  that  they 
should  be  raised  up  to  enjoy  the  good  promises,  else 
the  promises  of  God  should  be  in  vain  and  false."  If 
this  be  thought  fanciful,  let  the  inspired  statement  of 
this  epistle  be  admitted  as  something  free  from  fancy 
(xi :  17-19).  The  passage  here  referred  to  unmistaka- 
bly implies  that  Abraham  knew  of  the  doctrine  of  res- 
urrection, and  that  he  was  persuaded  that  if  Isaac  was 
slain,  God  would  surely  raise  him  up  again.  A  greater 
than  the  Rabbis,  a  greater  than  Abraham,  said,  "  I  am 
the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the 


244       OUTLINE   STUDIES   IN   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT 

God  of  Jacob.  God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but 
of  the  Hving."  Jesus'  teaching  is,  that  the  relation  of 
the  behever  to  God  carries  with  it  a  whole  immortahty, 
body  and  soul  alike.  This  involves  resurrection. 
What  may  not  the  patriarchs  have  in  the  day  when 
redemption  is  complete  and  all  promises  are  made  for- 
ever good  ?  Abraham's  faith  triumphed  over  love  of 
country  and  kin  and  home,  over  the  strange  delay  of 
the  promise,  over  apparent  bankruptcy  in  the  land  of 
promise,  over  apparent  antagonism  to  the  fulfillment 
of  the  promise,  over  virtual  death  of  his  only  son,  for 
his  faith  was  far-sighted,  long-sighted.  It  rested  with 
supreme  security  in  the  things  unseen  and  hoped- 
for. 

Jacob  (v.  2i): — "  By  faith  Jacob  when  he  was  a  dy- 
ing, blessed  both  the  sons  of  Joseph ;  and  worshipped, 
leaning  upon  the  top  of  his  staff."  Two  acts  of  faith  are 
ascribed  to  the  dying  patriarch.  He  blessed  the  two 
sons  of  Joseph.  It  was  as  one  of  the  heads  of  the  cov- 
enant and  as  the  prince  with  God  that  Jacob  pro- 
nounced his  benediction  on  the  lads.  He  could  not 
distinguish  them  by  sight,  for  he  could  not  see ;  he 
distinguished  them  by  faith,  and  set  Ephraim  before 
Manasseh  the  elder,  crossing  his  hands  to  do  so,  guid- 
ing them  wittingly.  He  forecast  their  separate  des- 
tinies and  different  degrees  of  eminence  in  the  king- 
dom of  God.  Joseph  thought  his  father  mistaken,  and 
sought  to  uncross  his  hands,  but  the  patriarch  gently 
put  aside  the  interference,  for  he  was  gazing  into  the 
future  and  seeing  the  unseen.     He  "  Worshipped  upon 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  245 

the  top  of  his  staff."  *  The  words  are  taken  from  the 
Septuagint  reading  of  Gen.  xlvii  :  31.  It  is  a  beauti- 
ful picture — this  aged  servant  of  God  bowing  low  in 
devout  adoration  over  the  staff  that  had  been  with  him 
in  the  stirring  events  of  his  checkered  life.  It  may 
have  been  the  same  with  which  long  before  he  had 
passed  over  the  Jordan  (Gen.  xxxii :  lo) ;  now  it  serves 
him  as  he  prepares  to  go  forth  upon  the  journey  from 
which  he  will  not  return.  His  faith  guided  his  hands, 
his  eyes,  and  his  spirit.     He  saw  the  invisible. 

Joseph  (v.  22) : — "  By  faith  Joseph  when  he  died, 
made  mention  of  the  departing  of  the  children  of 
Israel ;  and  gave  commandment  concerning  his  bones." 
Here  once  more  the  faith  that  looks  far  beyond 
present  circumstances  asserts  itself.  There  is  a  pro- 
phetic element  in  faith,  and  Joseph's  was  of  this 
nature.  He  foresaw  the  coming  exodus  of  his  people, 
and  he  must  not  remain  behind  even  in  his  body.  He 
made  his  brethren  take  oath  that  they  would  carry  his 
remains  with  them  when  they  set  forth  for  Palestine 
(Gen.  1:25).  It  was  done  as  he  wished  (Josh,  xxiv  :  32). 
As  if  he  said,  You  are  going  from  Egypt,  and  when 
you  go  take  me  with  you,  I  must  not  be  left  behind. 
For  to  him  Egypt  was  the  world,  over  it  God's  sore 

*  A  curiosity  of  translation  is  connected  with  these  words.  The 
Donay  English  Bible  (Roman  Catholic)  reads :  "  By  faith  Jacob 
.  .  .  adored  the  top  of  his  rod."  In  the  notes  the  translators  say, 
"  his  rod,  i.  <?.,  the  sceptre  of  Joseph  "  ;  and  they  go  on  to  justify  from  it 
the  worship  of  images.  Of  course  they  follow  the  Vulgate,  but  take 
no  notice  of  Jerome's  rendering  of  the  corresponding  text  in  Gen. 
xlvii :  31 — "Israel  worshipped  God,  turning  to  the  bed's  head." 
Neither  the  Vulgate  nor  the  Donay  translate  accurately  the  Ixx ;  they 
omit  the  preposition  "  upon,"  which  determines  the  nature  of  Jacob's 
act.     He  worshipped  God,  not  a  bit  of  wood. 


246       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE    NEW   TESTAMENT 

judgments  impended,  and  Joseph  will  not  be  there  even 
in  his  inanimate  clay.  His  tomb  might  have  been 
with  the  Pharaohs,  his  sarcophagus  might  have  rested 
in  one  of  the  Pyramids.  But  he  refused.  To  the 
Land  of  Promise,  of  Revelation,  of  Resurrection,  and 
of  the  promised  Deliverer,  he  must  go,  and  rest  and 
wait  with  the  other  men  of  God,  his  ancestors.  For 
Joseph  seems  to  have  gotten  hold  of  the  magnificent 
truth  that  his  body  was  God's  as  well  as  his  soul,  and 
that  if  it  was  precious  to  Him,  it  must  be  precious  like- 
wise to  Joseph  himself. 

Moses  (vs.  23-28): — Four  very  noteworthy  things 
concerning  faith  appear  in  these  verses.  The  first  is 
the  faith  exhibited  by  Moses'  parents,  Amram  and 
Jochebed.  Something  connected  with  the  personal 
appearance  of  their  child  arrested  their  attention  and 
stimulated  their  faith  and  hope,  so  that  they  braved 
the  king's  cruel  decree,  "  they  were  not  afraid  of  the 
king's  commandment."  All  fathers  and  mothers  see 
or  think  they  see  in  the  faces  of  their  children  some- 
thing that  is  uncommon,  something  that  betokens  a 
noble  future.  For  love's  eyes  are  strong  and  clear, 
and  they  magnify.  Alas,  that  fond  and  hopeful  love 
should  so  often  mistake !  But  in  the  case  of  the 
child  Moses  there  was  ample  ground  for  faith's  far- 
sightedness, and  for  love's  proudest  dream.  In  Ex. 
ii :  2,  he  is  described  as  a  "  goodly  child  "  ;  here,  as  "  a 
proper  child "  ;  Stephen  says  he  was  "  beautiful  to 
God "  (Acts  vii :  20,  Greek).  There  was  a  certain 
beauty  in  his  face  that  awakened  faith,  and  that  dis- 
closed somehow  God's  purpose  in  respect  to  the  child. 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE    HEBREWS  247 

Tradition,  antedating  the  Christian  era,  busied  itself 
with  Moses'  beauty.  It  reported  that  when  but  three 
years  old  "  every  one  was  surprised  at  the  beauty  of 
his  countenance ;  that  passers-by  stood  to  look  at  him, 
and  labourers  left  their  work  to  steal  a  glance."  Faith 
read  the  divine  writing  in  Moses'  face  as  a  presage  of  his 
illustrious  career,  and  his  parents  were  not  disobedient 
to  the  gracious  disclosure. 

Moses'  faith  won  three  signal  victories.  The  first 
triumph  was  over  the  world's  attractions,  wealth, 
power  and  splendour.  He  renounced  a  princely  posi- 
tion in  the  proudest  Court  of  that  olden  time,  and 
deliberately  identified  himself  with  a  nation  of  slaves. 
This  he  did  by  faith,  because  he  knew  they  were  the 
people  of  God  and  a  mighty  future  was  theirs.  '•  For 
he  had  respect  unto  the  recompense  of  the  reward." 
Then,  his  faith  triumphed  over  the  world's  enmity. 
He  faced  its  wrath  and  malignity ;  he  feared  not  the 
fury  of  Egypt's  monarch  ;  for  "  endured  as  seeing  him 
who  is  invisible."  His  faith  caught  sight  of  the 
eternal  reahties.  He  saw  the  Lord  God  of  Israel 
by  his  living  faith,  and  in  the  presence  and  power 
of  the  absorbing  vision  he  endured  and  conquered. 
Finally,  he  provided  for  himself  and  for  the  Hebrew 
people  the  appointed  means  of  safety,  the  paschal 
lamb  and  the  sprinkled  blood.  By  faith  he  had 
an  answer  for  God's  claims  upon  him  and  the  peo- 
ple. Through  faith  the  whole  nation  was  sheltered 
by  atoning  blood  from  the  tremendous  judgment  of 
the  Avenger.  What  an  invincible  thing  faith  is ! 
Love   has   been    called,   "  The   greatest  thing  in  the 


248       OUTLINE   STUDIES    IN   THE    NEW    TESTAMENT 

world."  The  strongest  thing  in  the  world  is  faith. 
"  It  has  an  eagle's  eye  and  Hon's  heart."  It  has  a 
lion's  heart  to  confront  dangers  and  difficulties,  and  an 
eagle's  eye  to  descry  the  unseen  glories  and  the  sure 
victory.  The  heroism  of  faith  is  a  wonderful  thing. 
It  is  profusely  illustrated  in  verses  33-38.  It  may 
suffer  indescribable  tortures  and  agonies,  as  often  it 
has,  but  it  is  unconquerable,  invincible.  Some  were 
tortured  [tympanized,  i.  e.,  stretched  on  a  wheel  as  the 
drumhead),  "  that  they  might  obtain  a  better  resurrec- 
tion," as  were  the  mother  and  her  seven  sons  who 
were  put  to  death  one  after  the  other,  and  in  sight  of 
each  other,  by  the  Syrian  monster,  Antiochus  Epiph- 
anes  (2  Mace.  vii).  Some  were  stoned,  as  Zechariah 
(2  Chron  :  xxiv)  and  Jeremiah,  according  to  tradition. 
Some  were  sawn  asunder,  as  was  Isaiah  under  Manas- 
seh.  Some  were  slain  with  the  sword,  as  Urijah,  (Jer. 
xxvi :  23),  and  James  the  brother  of  John  (Acts  xii). 
They  might  have  rustled  in  silks  and  velvets  and 
luxuriated  in  the  palaces  of  princes  had  they  denied 
God  and  believed  the  world's  lie.  Instead,  they  wan- 
dered about  in  sheepskins  and  goatskins,  themselves 
accounted  no  better  than  goats  or  sheep,  nay,  they 
like  these  reckoned  fit  only  for  the  slaughter.  The 
world  thought  them  unworthy  to  live  here,  while 
God  thought  them  worthy  to  live  with  Him  in  glory. 
These  all  received  not  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise. 
They  could  not  be  made  perfect  until  completed  re- 
demption was  had,  and  until  all  of  the  redeemed  were 
with  them  gathered  together  in  Christ  Jesus.  Then 
will  be  the  Home-coming,  entrance  into  the  heavenly 


THE   EPISTLE   TO   THE   HEBREWS  249 

country  and  city  for  which  they  and  we  alike  "  pant 
and  yearn." 

"  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God."  The 
world  often  is  ashamed  of  them.  Sometimes,  alas! 
they  are  ashamed  of  each  other.  But  God  is  not! 
That  is  honour  indeed. 


~~ 

THE       WORKS       OF 

DAVID  JAMES  BUR  R  ET  T . 

The  TVoxdkrftti. 

Preacher  of  the  Word  is  a 

Teacheb  axd  What 
He  Taught 

guarantee  of  the  practical 
value   of  this  work.      He 
is  thoroughly  orthodox  in 

doctrine,    forceful   in    his 

i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.20. 

style,  and   intensely  prac- 

The purpose  of  this  book 
is  to  set  forth  the    teach- 
ings   of  Jesus.       It    pic- 

tical in  the  application  of 
the  truth  he  vigorously  pre- 
sents."— Religious       Tele- 

tures      the        Wonderful 

scope. 

Teacher      Himself;    and 

then  '^rom  the  Problem  of 

The   UNACCOrTNTABLE 

the  Kingdom,  as  the  key 

Man  axd  othew 

note    of    His  teaching,  it 
topically  treats  His  funda- 
mental doctrines,  practical 

Sebmons 

i2mo,  cloth,  ^1.50. 

ethics,  etc.,  applying    the 

"He  gives  men  something 

principles  to  every  depart- 

to  think   about   in   every 

ment  of  life.     The  book, 

sermon,  and   puts   it  in  a 

is,   in    effect,    a    popular 

clearway.     Good,  health- 

topical discussion  of  what 

ful     reading.  " — 7  h  e 

Jesus  says. 

Efwortk  Herald. 

"He  has   a  vigorous    and 

The  Chttbch  iir 
The  Fobt 

forceful    style,     a      thor- 
oughly   orthodox     appre- 
ciation   of    divine    truth. 

i2mo,  cloth,  net  ;gi.20. 

and  the  habit  of  speaking 
directly  to  the  point  and 

"The  author's  reputation 

suitably  for  the  times." — 

as     a     strong    Scriptural 

New  York  Observer. 

Flemixg    H.    Ki 

^:w:\ju    Company 

NEW  XOBK                      CHI 

CAGO                     TOBOKTO 

^> 

■"■ 

The    Works   of  Rev. 

W,     ij.      WATKIISrSOJS^ 

Studies  in 
Christian 

and  the  light  of  the   sun 
his  sermons  are   a  tonic 

Character 

and    a     stimulant.        He 

Work  and 

urges  the  truth  in  senten- 

Experience 

ces  that  tingle  and  burn. 

2  vols.    i6mo,  cloth.    Gilt 
top.     Each,  $i.oo  net. 

Though  he  has  a  crisp, 
fresh  way  of  saying  things 
he  never  strives  for  effect, 

•'This  author  has  what 

he    is    never    unnatural. 

this  poor  world  needs- 

There  is  a  presence  every- 

vision",— 2^ea»f//  Dwight 

v/here  of  an    intelligent 

Hillis. 

and  enthusiastic  patriot- 

"Mr.   Watkinson  excels 

ism." —  Chicago     Stand- 
ard. 

in  apt  illustration  of  his 

themes,    and    shows    an 

uncommon     power    of 
drawing    fresh    and     in- 
structive    lessons     from 

The  Blind   Spot 
and  othke  sehmojts 

familiar  texts.  ''—The  Out- 
look. 

i2mo,  cloth,  $i.oo  net. 
"  Overbrimming     with 

literary    riches,    familiar 

The  Bane  and  the 
Antidote 

A.-SS-D    OTHEK    SERMOIVS 

with  nature's  laboratory, 
whence  he  draws  numer- 
ous charming  hints    and 
emblems;  he  is  a  master 

i2mo,  cloth,  $i.oonet. 

of  spiritual  appeal,  spirit- 

"He is  allegoric,  epigram- 

ual stimulation  and  spirit- 

matic, magnetic.     Full  of 

ualizing  effects."— Mc/Z70- 

the  breath  of  the   breeze 

dist  Revzerv. 

Eleming  H.  Re 

TEiiii  Company 

NETV^  TORK             CHI 

CAGO             TORONTO 

LONDON    AND 

EDINBURGH 

THE    WORKS    OF 
H.  CLAY   TRUMBULL 


Old  Time  Student  Volunteers.     My 

Memories  of  Missionaries.  i  zmo,  cloth, 
net  ^i.oo. 

Impressionistic  personal  recollections  of  half-a-hundred 
missionaries  who  were  in  the  foreign  field  at  least  as  early  as 
fifty  years  ago.  The  world  that  regards  the  missionary  simply 
as  a  religious  teacher  needs  to  know  how  much  commerce, 
science,  scholarship,  literature,  and  in  fact  many  of  our  comforts 
of  life  owe  to  the  comprehensive  service  of  these  noble  heroes  of 
the  nineteenth  century. 

Border  Lines  in  the  Field  of  Doubt- 
ful Practices,    cloth,  gold  top,  $i.oo. 

*'Easily  at  the  head  of  the  many  books  that  have  been  writ- 
ten on  doubtful  amusements.  Dr.  Trumbull's  long  experience 
has  furnishsd  for  the  book  hundreds  of  telling  anecdotes,  his 
sunny  temper  keeps'iit  from  even  the  suspicion  of  sternness  and 
gloom,  and  through  it  all  is  a  sturdy  common-sense  which  com- 
pels assent."— Ti&f  C.   E.  IVorld. 

Illustrative  Answers  to  Prayer.    A 

Record  of  Personal  Experiences.  Uniform 
with  "Prayer:  Its  Nature  and  Scope." 
i6mo,  cloth,  6oc. 

"  The  little  book  is  worthy  of  a  place  alongside  George 
Muller's  '  Life  of  Trust.'  Its  autobiographical  instances  are 
most  confirmatory  of  faith,  and  every  example  given  of  definite 
answers  to  prayer  is  so  presented  as  to  bring  out  a  fresh  and  im- 
portant principal  in  Christian  living." — The  C.  E,  IVorld. 

Prayer :  Its  Nature  and  Scope.    i6mo, 

cloth,  6oc. 

*'One  of  the  most  helpful  and  uplifting  little  books  that 
have  come  to  our  table  in  a  long  time  is  '  Prayer'  by  H.  Clay 
Trumbull.  It  is  a  book  which  we  would  like  to  place  in  the 
hands  of  every  Christian." — The  Churchman. 


FLEMING   H.  REVELL   COMPANY 

NEW  YORK  CHICAGO  TORONTO 


"" 

TV^    0   H   K    S     BY 
ROBERT  E.  SBEEB 

MissioxAKY  Pbixci- 

PI-ES  AXD  PBACTICE. 

A  Discussion  of  Christian 
Missions  and  some    Criti- 
cisms    upon    them.     8vo, 
cloth,  net  J1.50. 

The  Pbinciples  op 
Jesus. 

As  applied  to  some  Ques- 
tions   of   to-day.       i6mo, 
cloth,  net  80c. 

CHHIST  and  X.IFE. 

Papers  on  the  Practice  of 
the  Christian  Life.    i6mo, 
cloth,  net  ^i.oo. 

Bemembeb 
Jestjs  Chkist. 

And     other     talks     about 
Christ    and  the    Christian 
Life.     Long  i6mo,   cloth, 
75c. 

Studies  of  the  Man 
Chbist  Jesus. 

Twelfth  Thousand.  Long 
i6mo,  cloth,  75c. 

Studies  op  the 
Mak  Paui-. 

Uniform  with    the     Man 
Christ  Jesus.    Long  i6mo, 
cloth,  75c. 

Missions  and  Poi-itics 
IN  Asia. 

Studies  of  the  Spirit  of  the 
Eastern  peoples,  the  pres- 
ent making  of  history  in 
Asia,  and  the  part  therein 
of    Christian     Missions. 
Student's     Lectures     on 
Missions,    Princeton, 
i2mo,  cloth,  $1.00. 

A  Memobiai,  o*'  a 
Tbue  Lipe. 

A     Biography     of  Hugh 
McAllister      Bhavhr. 
With    Portrait.         izmo, 
cloth,  $1.00. 

Gambi-ing  and 
Betting. 

A  Frank  Talk  to  Young 
Men  of  To-day,  paper,  ne» 

IOC 

The  Situation 
IN  China. 

A    Record   of  Cause   ani 
Effect,     izmo,  paper,  net 

IOC 

Fleming  H.  Revell.  Company 

NEW  XOBK                      CHICAGO                      TOBONTO 

Date  Due 

' 

FAn—- 

IflHWtr 

'MXSB»' 

<pa^ 

^f^ 

^1,^ 

n.  -  ^M 

te     ^   1 

9 

BS2361  .M826 

Outline  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00012  7342 


h:^.t 


.^^ 


